What I've Done
by Aerle
Summary: Title from the song by Linkin Park. Collection of drabbles posted on Tumblr written on request. Pairings, ratings and length varies. Not all pairings are romantic.
1. ZoroxSanji Kayak

**ZoSan in a Kayak. Prompt by Vergina-spva**

"Dammit, Marimo! How on earth do you manage to get lost of a fucking _river_?!" Sanji rubbed his temples in frustration. Before they got into the kayak, the blond said he would get in front, but Zoro was pouting and said he never got lost, especially not on a river. The cook had given in, because he could use peace and quiet and not a grass-head whining in his ear. But he'd forgotten that the marimo could get lost walking in a fucking straight line. And apparently kayaking on a river.

"We're not lost!" the swordsman snarled back. "I know exactly where we are."

"Where's that then?" When a long silence followed, Sanji burst into laughter. He couldn't help it. "You're such an idiot. I can't believe you don't get lost putting on your shirt in the morning."

Zoro tried to elbow him. "Shut up, shit cook!"

The blond poked him in his side with his foot. Annoyed, the green haired man turned around and dove on top of him.

"Watch out, idiot!'

But it was too late. The kayak keeled over and both men landed in the water, still fighting. Sanji didn't get the chance to take a breath before he got a ducking. He tried to swim upwards, when something hard hit his back and the last oxygen was knocked out of his lungs. He gasped, swallowing water. He felt like the marimo, completely lost, not even knowing what was up or down.

Suddenly, warm chapped lips were pressed against his, and air was blown into his lungs.


	2. KillerxPenguin

**KillerxPenguin, requested by Acesbabe16 (Tumblr)**

That their best friends were dating – or whatever the hell it was those did – didn't mean they had to like each other. It wasn't uncommon for them to sit next to each other in silence when Kid and Law were still busy or just late. They didn't speak, just waited.

Usually when their friends were 'busy', they would leave the room and do their own thing until the men were finished. And when Law and Kid were just late, it usually didn't take that long, especially Law was very punctual.

Usually.

Today they found themselves waiting in the apartment of the two men. It was quiet. There was no sound of yelling and things breaking when Kid lost his temper. Nor the sound of moaning when the two of them where otherwise occupied. The apartment was completely silent, aside from the clock ticking as seconds passed by.

Killer sat on one end of the couch while Penguin occupied the other. Both had their arms crossed before their chests. They each had a key to this place, given by their best friends respectively. Minutes passed by, and still no sign of either Law or Kid.

Killer glanced to the side. Penguin gazed to the wall opposite of him. Like always, he wore a cap with his name on it, hiding his hair and casting a shadow over his eyes. Killer had always figured he didn't like Penguin, since it was a friend of Law's and he didn't like Law. That was mostly because since Kid had met him, he didn't have that much time for his friends anymore, so it was hard to be happy for him. Besides, Law freaked Killer out. He was a little too interested in blood and gore. The blond didn't have anything against gore in movies, but he did against his own blood near a man with a scalpel.

Penguin toyed with the remote control of the TV. "Do you mind?" he asked.

Killer shrugged and the other man turned on the television. Mindlessly, he flipped through the channels. There was nothing good on, as expected, so Penguin decided to turn it off again, accidentally pressing the wrong button and the DVD currently in the DVD player started playing. Surprised, Killer and Penguin looked at the screen, which was showing the exact couch they were sitting on. Apparently, they were watching a homemade film.

"I'm not sure about this," Kid's voice sounded from the speakers.

"Come on, Mister Eustass, you don't hear me complaining about what you picked out."

The next moment, Kid appeared on the screen, wearing nothing but a black leather thong and cowboy boots.

Killer stared in horror at how his best friend was dressed, everything on display, while Penguin rolled over the floor laughing. He was so going to use this against the redhead.

He didn't laugh for long however, when Law came on, wearing lace panties.

Killer and Penguin stared at the screen. They looked at each other. And then, simultaneously, they dove for the remote. Their action had the contrary effect, however, as neither of them managed to hold the remote and press the stop button. They wrestled to make the film stop, though by now the stars weren't wearing anything anymore. Finally, Killer managed to get the remote and turned the DVD off.

Signing in relief, it slowly got through to him what a compromising position they were in. They were on the floor, Penguin lying on his back with the blond currently straddling the other man. Penguin's cap had fallen off and big brown eyes looked up to Killer.

The door fall shut and both men closed their eyes. No. Not now.

Kid stared at them in disbelief while Law started laughing. "You see? I told you they were into each other!"


	3. ShanksxMihawk Royalty AU

**ShanksxMihawk, requested by MyLadyDay. Royalty!AU**

Kneeling in front of the altar, Mihawk inclined his head as the pope placed the crown upon his head. As he stood up, the royal mantle was placed around his shoulders and the globus cruciger was handed to him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he turned to the people waiting in the throne room.

"Hail king Mihawk!" the herald shouted.

"Hail King Mihawk!" the entire audience echoed, before kneeling before him.

The new king's hawk-like eyes scanned the room. He had always known he would become the ruler of the kingdom one day and now, here he was. Before him knelt his subjects, dukes and earls from all over the kingdom, ready to swear an oath of allegiance to him. One by one, they stepped forward, kneeling before him and kissing the ring on his right hand.

Mihawk's eyes rested on the man currently sitting in front of him. He was the captain of his personal guard and his long time friend, Shanks. The captain had smirked suggestively before going down on one knee and took the king's hand with care, before pressing his lips against the ring – and maybe not entirely on it either. "My king, I hereby pledge to protect you with my life," he said.

Just as he rose, the doors of the throne room flew open and there was a loud yelling of: "Death to the king!"

A canon was aimed at Mihawk's head and he dove down, his crown falling on the floor and rolling away. A loud bang filled the room.

It had become quiet when the king looked up again. The person who had tried to shot him was lying on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding him. Soldiers of his guard stood around the dead man with weapons drawn. It was only then that the king realised that Shanks wasn't with them. The captain hadn't moved from his spot where he knelt down. He was standing, still facing the door and a shadow cast over his eyes. His arms spread out in a protective motion.

Or rather, the one that was still left.


	4. ShanksxMarco College AU

**ShanksxMarco, requested by anon. College!AU**

Even though it had been years, he would always recognise that red head of hair. The last time he had seen him was in primary school, over six years ago. He doubted the man would recognise him, though, even if he went up to him and said hi. The man, because yes, he was a man now, was talking to some friends, looking cheery as ever. In that perspective he hadn't changed then.

Suddenly, the man looked in his direction and Marco was about to walk on to his class when he called out to him. "Marco? Marco, is that you?"

Taking a deep breath, the blond looked up, opting to pretend he didn't hear the man, but to be honest, he would love to talk to him. "Shanks." He nodded in greeting. "Long time no see."

Shanks grinned at him. It was weird looking at his old friend, now grown up and – dare he think it – very handsome. "S-so how are you doing?" Marco managed to bring out.

"Good." The redhead smirked. "I'm studying accountancy now."

"Really?" Marco grinned. "I had not expected that. You sure you're the same guy?"

"Yeah, laugh all you want, but you won't be laughing so hard when I fix your defaults. Anyway, what do you do?"

"Educational theory."

Shanks nodded, still smiling and an awkward silence fell. Marco scratched the back of his head.

"So, how are your brothers?" the redhead asked, more to fill the silence than anything else.

The blond's head perked up. "Well, Izo goes to art school, but I guess you saw that one coming. Thatch goes to culinary school, Curiel's in the army now…" He went on listing his brothers and they current occupation. Shanks' friends were still standing with them, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Great to hear," the accountant-to-be said.

"Yeah."

When another awkward silence was threatening to take over, Marco hastily said: "We should catch up sometime. I have to get to class now." Waving, he was about to leave when Shanks called after him.

"Oh, no. None of that 'sometime'. That way, the next time I'll see you is at your wedding or something. Come out drinking with us tonight."

Marco turned around. "Alright, but I can't make it too late, I have an exam tomorrow."

Shanks just smirked.

* * *

He had not expected to stay out past the curfew he had set for himself. He had not expected either to sit in Shanks' lap drunk and make out with him. Nor that he would end up in the redhead's bed.

The next morning he woke up with a headache and too late for his exam, but thoroughly satisfied. It had been worth it.

* * *

"Marco?"

The blond looked up when he heard his name. The cute freckled face of his date was looking at him worriedly. "Are you okay? You've been quiet for a while… I just asked when you found out you were gay."

A smile tucked at the corners of his mouth. "Right. That would have been college."


	5. IzoxSmoker Hooker AU

**IzoxSmoker, requested by Vergina-spva. Hooker!AU**

Fanning himself with a beautifully decorated fan, Izo walked through the hallway. Most doors were closed, which meant that his workers were busy with a client. The brothel he owned was fairly popular in this district, with sailors coming and going – no pun intended – and his workers were the best. Izo was praised for having something for everyone – male, female, old, young (though not too young) – and being discrete about it.

Being a madam meant Izo oversaw his employees, hiring and firing them, but also made sure the rooms were cleaned several times a day and when problems with clients arose, he was there to mediate the situation if necessary. After all, some clients were drunk and or violent, and the prostitutes were forbidden to raise a hand to them. That was where Izo came in.

Being a former prostitute himself, Izo knew all tricks of the trade and prided himself into passing the knowledge to new employees. It made them aware of the dangers and less likely to provoke a client, which meant the number of incidents was low compared to other brothels.

That was, before he hired Smoker. The man had a temper and did not like to be submissive, which were the ingredients for conflict. Why the guy was a hooker was beyond Izo, but he was aware that not everyone chose the trade for fun. Smoker had his reasons and the madam didn't pry, but that didn't mean he didn't sometimes wonder about it. When Smoker asked for a job in the brothel, Izo had jumped to the occasion. The man had a rough exterior, something his clients usually had, and was handsome with a nice body he liked to show off a little too much. He proved to be popular immediately, but tended to clash with some clients, usually male.

Tonight didn't seem to be an exception, when Izo passed the prostitute's room and heard loud yelling. "Get your dirty paws off me," a familiar voice grouched.

The madam sighed and stopped for a moment, waiting and listening if he needed to interfere. It wasn't uncommon for clients that pissed Smoker off to scurry out of the room with their pants around their ankles, even without the sex worker raising a hand at them. After all, not all off them knew they weren't allowed to hurt clients.

Not this time though, as a loud clash could be heard. Izo all but kicked open the door. If Smoker had hit a client, he was fired, being a hot piece of ass or not. However, it was the prostitute he saw lying on the floor, his hand rubbing his jaw. He seemed to be alright other than that.

Izo turned to the client, who was naked and in a state that made the madam glad he wasn't a prostitute anymore. Holding up the fan to obscure the sight, he asked Smoker if he was okay and when he heard an affirmative grunt, Izo focused on the client's face with his steel jaw. "I will not have my workers treated this way," he said sharply. He held his fan out to Smoker. "Hold this."

With that, he turned up the sleeves of his kimono and beat the crap out of the violent costumer.


	6. MarcoxAce Vampire AU

**MarcoAce, requested by xpiester333x. Vampire!AU (written for day 5 of the MarcoAce week on Tumblr with the theme 'dancing')**

Marco looked approvingly to his students. They were really making progress and they had to, if they wanted to participate in the dance competition. The song ended and the blond clapped his hands. "Alright, that's enough for today. Well done, everyone."

One by one, his students left the hall, some staying behind to chat with each other or ask their teacher questions. Marco had been an instructor for years now, but it always warmed his heart to see them dance so passionately at the end of the year. He couldn't help but feel proud.

As the last of his students left the dance hall, he eyed the clock. It was midnight already, but he wasn't even that tired yet. Maybe he should do some stretching or something.

His musings were cut short when someone knocked on the door. Turning around, he saw a pale young man standing, freckles covering his face.

"May I help you?" the blond asked.

"Are you a dance instructor?" the man – well, he was barely more than a boy – asked.

"I am, but you are a little too late. Class is over. Although," Marco said frowning, "it would be best to start in a beginner's class. I teach those on Wednesday."

"That's too bad," the freckled man sighed. "I need to learn how to dance fast. You wouldn't happen to give," he licked his lips while looking Marco up and down, "private lessons?"

The blond thought about that for a moment. He wasn't tired yet, so why the hell not? Sure, the other was a little odd and the cape was a bit much, but who was he to judge someone's fashion sense? He scratched at the tuft of blond hair on his head. "Alright. I'm Marco by the way."

"Ace." The stranger flashed him a blinding smile.

"So Ace," the blond said when the freckled man approached him, reminding him a little of a predator sneaking up on his prey. Maybe he was a little tired. "Why the hurry to learn how to dance?"

"I hear it's a great way to seduce my vict– partners," Ace corrected himself. "And I'd be close to their neck– them." He let out a laugh when suddenly lightning lighted up the room.

Marco looked worriedly out of the window. "That's odd. It's not even raining."

"Don't worry about it."

When the blond turned around, Ace was standing in his personal space, showing his pearly white teeth and surprisingly sharp canines. "Let's dance."

Marco shrugged. "Okay."

While he said it, the pale man flinched back, covering his nose with his hand. "Did you eat garlic?"

"Maybe yesterday." The blond breathed onto his hand and smelled. "Is it that bad?"

When Ace nodded, the dance instructor reached for his bag, taking out some gum and wondering how many of his students had been bothered by it. After having popped the piece into his mouth, he took his position again in front of the other man. "Better?"

When Ace nodded, he took his hand, taking the female position so that the other could lead. "Alright, we'll start with the Viennese Waltz. Step aside and then turn clockwise."

Ace did as he was told and Marco wondered why the man thought he would need dance lessons. He was a natural. After a few minutes, the blond put on some music and the freckled man twirled him around effortlessly. When the music stopped, he even ended by dipping Marco.

The blond laughed. "Well done." He turned his head to look at the wall clad with large mirrors to see how odd this would look. He froze in the arms of his dance partner.

Because, looking in the mirror, it seemed like he was floating in the air in a very odd position. He looked up, but the freckled man was there, grinning down at him. Marco's eyes widened.

Ace pulled him up, holding the blond flush against him. "Whoops, busted," he said with a smirk. His canines grew until they were nothing short of fangs and he licked his lips while looking at Marco's exposed neck. "Shall we get to business then?"


	7. CobyxHelmeppo High school AU

**CobyxHelmeppo, requested by Ventusio. High School!AU**

Coby had hardly opened his locker when it was slammed shut again. He could only pull his fingers back just in time – not in the least because this happened quite often. He tried not to sigh when Helmeppo leaned against the wall, a smirk on his face. "What are you doing?" the blond asked tauntingly.

Coby pushed his glasses higher up his nose. "I was trying to get my books. I've got class in five minutes."

"Books? You're such a nerd!" Helmeppo started to laugh. "You hear that?" he called to some students passing by, who did their best to ignore him. "Foureyes is such a nerd!"

Coby rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure exactly when it had started happening, but lately, Helmeppo was all over his case. Nobody really liked the blond, mostly because he was quite obnoxious and thought he could get away with anything just because his father was the principal. He went around calling people names and bullying them by making them trip or damaging their stuff. Coby was his latest target. It was more annoying than anything really, like now, when he had to get to class.

"Yeah, sure. Can I get my books now?" he asked, the irritation seeping in his voice.

"You're such a nerd for admitting you're a nerd!" Helmeppo was doubled over with laughter.

Coby managed to suppress another eye roll and reached for his locker again. The blond, however, recovered from his laughing fit and slammed his hand on the pink haired boy's locker to prevent him from opening it. "First say please."

"Please let me get to my locker," Coby said with a steel face.

That apparently wasn't what Helmeppo had been hoping for, because the grin fell from his face as he removed his hand. The pink haired boy was actually surprised, but took advantage of the situation by reaching for his locker.

The blond wasn't done being obnoxious, however. "Fine, you can get your books, but are you able without your glasses, foureyes?!" He snatched the glasses from Coby's nose, just as the other boy had grabbed his book.

"Give them back!" Coby could take a lot, but not when his property was being taken. Besides, he needed his glasses to read the board in class later.

"What? Is little foureyes blind without his glasses?" Helmeppo waved them tauntingly in front of his face before holding them out of reach. "Catch them if you can!"

Without thinking, the furious Coby launched himself onto the bully, knocking him on the floor. "Give them back!" he yelled again.

Whether or not it was the shock or something else, the blond stilled, looking up to the pink haired boy with wide eyes before handing him back his glasses.

Coby was caught a little off guard from how easy that went, but placed the glasses on his head. "Thank you," he muttered as he dusted off his clothes.

Helmeppo was still on the floor, looking shocked.

Coby frowned. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" he added worriedly.

The blond nodded and then shook his head, still looking quite dazed. The pink haired boy reached out his hand and helped the bully up. "You sure you're okay?" He studied the other's face. Did he imagine it or was Helmeppo blushing?

The bell rung, causing Coby to jump. "I don't want to be late! I… guess I'll see you around?" With that, he hurried off to class, casting a worried look over his shoulder to the stunned blond.


	8. ShakkyxHina Stylist&Model AU

**ShakkyxHina, requested by viv-heart. ****Hair/Makeup Stylist and Actor/Model!AU**

"Now look pouty. There, that's it!"

The photographer's camera flashed as he took picture after picture of Hina. She moved with the grace of a professional, because that's what she was. The pink haired woman was one of the most popular models at the moment. She had become famous because of a photo shoot done in prison, calling attention to the situation in female prisons. Since then, she was known as 'Black Cage' Hina. She had gotten many offers from different companies, but she was very keen on only taking jobs for businesses who shared her viewings on justice.

"Now smile!"

She did as she was told, but after the flash had gone off, she rose from her seat and the small fell from her face. Stretching herself, she said: "Hina needs a break."

As expected, no one dared to argue with her and the photographer put down his camera. "Alright. Try to be back in ten minutes."

Hina shrugged and made her way to the dressing room. Despite her age, people still wanted to book her for any event or commercial they could. Sighing, she sat down in her dressing room. Sometimes she wondered if this was still what she wanted to do in life. Her aim had been to become a cop, when the modelling career was handed to her. She supposed it would be a good way to call attention to things that were unjust in the world, so she took it. She could always take a police exam after she had quit modelling.

A soft knock on the door woke her from her musings. "Come in," she said tiredly.

The door opened and a black haired woman came in. She had short hair and full lips. Hina wondered why she noticed the latter.

"My name is Shakky," the woman said. "I'm here for your make-up."

"You're not Hina's regular make-up artist," the pink haired woman remarked.

"She went home sick, so they called me. Don't worry, Hina is in good hands."

The model wondered if this Shakky was mocking her for her speech habit or something else was going on. Her voice didn't sound mocking, though, rather warm.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" the other woman asked as she placed a cigarette between her lips and lit it before Hina could answer.

"Actually, Hina doesn't think you're allowed to smoke in here," the pink haired woman said, but she watched the smoke spiral up to the ceiling longingly.

"Do you want one?"

Hina nodded fervently and smiled gratefully when Shakky handed her a cigarette. After such a long day, she could use one. The black haired woman got her lighter out again and lit the stick between Hina's lips. Their eyes locked for a moment and Hina's breath caught for some reason.

She recovered quickly, however, and sighed contently when the smoke hit her lungs.

"Well then," Shakky stood before the model and placed her suitcase of make-up she had been carrying on the table. "Only a little touch up is necessary, I think."

At that moment, a loud wailing sound would be heard as suddenly the sprinklers installed in the ceiling started to spray water, effectively extinguishing the cigarettes of both women.

Despite being drenched, the pink haired woman started to laugh. "Hina told you you couldn't smoke in here."

Shakky smiled and took the model's face between her hands, studying the run out make-up carefully. "Maybe a little more than a touch up," she concluded.


	9. Law&Luffy Criminal AU

**LawLu, requested by Anon. Criminal!AU**

His forehead was beaded with sweat as he slowly and carefully screwed tight the final screw. One mistake, one vibration, and they all be dead.

"I'm hungry!"

Law could only just in time pull back his hand from the bomb he was making as his self proclaimed, but useless assistant jumped him. "Dammit, Luffy! You want to kill us all?!"

The younger boy looked at him with his large, owlish eyes. "I'm already dying from hunger!"

"Well, I'm busy!" Annoyed, Law went with his hand through his hair. Honestly, how was he supposed to plan a robbery when he was constantly interrupted.

"You can't eat bombs!"

"No, you can't. But we can use this bomb to blow up the safe, to retrieve art, which we'll sell for money. Money which can buy food," Law reminded him.

Luffy's eyes started to sparkle. "What are we waiting for then?" He made to grab the bomb.

Law hit him on the head. "Not yet! Let me finish it first." He sat down again, placing his glasses on his nose which somehow had ended up on his head and picked up his screwdriver. Luffy watched curiously, but surprisingly quiet, what he was doing. It was annoying to have someone breathing down his neck, but at least it was better than the boy clinging to him like the little monkey he was. Carefully, he placed the device on the table when it was finished and sighed relieved as he took off his glasses and wiped his brow.

"So, which museum are we going to rob?" Luffy asked, picking his nose before studying his treasure.

Law looked at him disgusted, but hissed: "Shhh! Do you want the whole neighbourhood to hear you?" Still, he got up and retrieved the blueprints of the museum out of their case. "This is the plan for the national museum in the centre. We use the bomb to get in from the tunnel systems underneath the streets. Our goal is here," he tapped on the paper with his index finger, "a rare diamond people refer to as the Devil's Fruit." He shuffled the papers around on the desk and retrieved the picture he was looking for, handing it to Luffy. "Some say it's cursed." He couldn't suppress the smirk on his face.

The boy stared at the picture with his head cocked. "What does it taste like?"

"You don't eat it!" Law repressed the urge to slap his hand against his forehead. Honestly, if he did that every time Luffy said something stupid, he might get brain damage.

"So it's a mystery fruit?"

"It's not a fruit! It's a fucking diamond!"

Luffy nodded understandingly. "A mystery diamond."

"Sure. Let's just… go with that." Law sighed. He was feeling tired already, and they didn't even start the robbery yet.


	10. ShanksxBenn Mythological AU

**ShanksBenn, requested by MyLadyDay. Mythological!AU**

From the hilltop, Benn used his hand to cover his eyes to look in the distance and not stare directly in the setting sun. In his other hand, he loosely held his bow and his arrows were safely secured in the quiver on his back, his hair blowing in the wind. Today had been a good day. The hunt had gone well, though he may had scared a nymph or two, but centaurs did have a reputation even if Benn didn't live up to it. He preferred to mind his own business and, if the need arose, keep to his own species, or rather one centaur in particular.

Said centaur was probably waiting for him to come back with the game, as the sun was starting to set already. He cast one last look to the hills, now adorned in the reddish light of the setting sun, and stroked some of his black long hair behind his ear. He should remember this spot.

Benn turned around and entered the woods again, where his home was. As suspected, in a clearing in the woods, enjoying the last rays of the sun, another centaur was lying, his red coat shining beautifully. Benn watched his lover for a moment, before the other centaur turned his head and his face split into a grin. "There you are. I was starting to miss you."

"Miss me or miss a drinking buddy?" he grunted as he placed the game on the ground.

The grin spread even wider, if possible and Shanks gestured to two mugs of beer. "You know me so well."

If there was anything Shanks liked, it was drinking and Benn didn't doubt the other centaur had started without him. In any case, it didn't take long for him to get drunk.

It was hard to predict how Shanks would behave when he was like that, though he was never violent. Stupid, but not violent. Sometimes he would get clingy and not let go of Benn until he had fallen fast asleep – and even then it was tricky. Other times, he would dance all night or demand to go on an adventure.

Tonight, however, he had thought of something new as he insisted on braiding Benn's hair and placing a crown of flowers on his head. When he was done, he looked at Benn and couldn't stop giggling. "My, Benn, you are such a fabulous creature!"


	11. Izo&Perona Homeless AU

**IzoPerona (brotp), requested by viv-heart. Homeless!AU**

Perona strolled the streets, no energy left to lift up her feet or care about her shoes scratching. She was hungry, cold and tired, but the only thing that she had left to keep her warm a little was the plush bear her mom had thrown after her because it was 'creepy'. Perona huffed when she remembered. Her bear was not creepy, it was cute! But what the hell did her mother know?

Perona's parents had kicked her out of the house, claiming they were tired of her creepy friends and weird fashion style. She had thought they were joking, but when she came home, her clothes had all been thrown away and the black and pink colours in her bedroom bad been painted over in a light yellow. Her father had chased her away with a baseball bat.

She bit her lip, pressing the bear close against her. She knew she hadn't been kicked out because of her friends and clothes, it was because she just told her parents she was gay. She had done it in a public place, a restaurant, and, not wanting to make a scene, her parents had forced a smile on their face and congratulated her. As soon as they were alone, hell broke loose.

Tears stung in her eyes, but she refused to cry over her parents. They weren't worth it. That didn't mean, however, that she wasn't miserable. Perona let herself slide down a brick wall in an alley, using a dumpster as a windscreen. It didn't help with the cold, as it had been snowing, but at least it was something.

Suddenly, she heard some noise, coming from the building she was leaning against. Looking around, she noticed a door that was slightly ajar and curiously – along with desperation for warmth – she stole to the door, pushing it open a bit farther. Someone was yelling something, but she couldn't make out what exactly. The hallway she was in was empty and the sounds came from further inside the building. Crawling closer, she arrived in a large hall. It was relatively empty, aside from a small group of people at the end. A girl Perona's age was posing in front of a screen, while someone with a camera called out encouragements.

"Tilt your head back! A little more… That's it. Now less smile. No, don't look mad!"

Perona hid behind a rack of clothing, peeking through them to watch the scene in front of her. She had obviously landed on some sort of fashion shoot. This was amazing! If she loved anything, it were cute clothes. Her hands slid over the fabrics of the clothes on the rack. They felt so soft and nice between her fingers…

"Come on, Izo," the model whined. "We've been at this for hours. Can't we take a break?"

Perona's already large eyes widened. Did she hear that right? Had she stumbled upon a photo shoot with Izo, _the_ Izo, top designer? She loved his clothes, especially his gothic line. Hell, most of her clothes had been from him, before her parents threw them out. She was wearing designs from him right now, although he wouldn't recognise them back. They were smudged and torn, and not washed in a while. She couldn't let him see her like this, she idolised him! If he saw what she had done to his clothes, he would never speak to her again. If he spoke to her in the first place.

Perona knew she needed to leave, even if the table with snacks on them looked rather appetising. Her stomach agreed loudly.

From the photo shoot, Izo looked up from the camera. "What was that?"

Her heart beating fast, Perona scrambled to her feet, only to trip over them after a few meters. With a loud "Oof!" she fell flat to the floor.

Hastened footsteps approached and before she could try to run away again, several people hovered over her, Izo amongst them. She recognised the designer instantly, as he was well known for cross dressing, often wearing a kimono. Izo was wearing one right now, made of a beautiful purple fabric. Perona swallowed and finally looked up. The model and what was probably her agent looked at her with a disgusted look on their face, but Izo seemed lost in thought. The index finger and thump of both his hands using to make a frame, he observed her closely.

"She's perfect!" he finally exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" the model asked insulted.

"I finally know what's wrong with the pictures. It's you! You're not gothic, not even close, obviously not suitable for my new Ghost-Lolita line. You," he pointed at Perona, "however, are perfect." Cocking his head slightly, he added: "But we'll have to tidy you up a bit."

"But what about me?" the model whined.

"You're fired." Izo waved her away bored. "Please leave the clothes in the dressing room for my new model to try on."

Fuming, the model and her agent left. Izo held out his hand to help Perona up. "So what do you say, dear?" he asked. "Do you want to be my Ghost Princess?"


	12. IzoxSmoker Nobility AU

**IzoSmoker, requested by Vergina-spva. Nobility!AU**

Smoker loved his job, he really did. Nothing was more satisfying than arresting bad guys and upholding the law. It gave him a sense of self-accomplishment when he righted the wrongs done to innocent civilians and placed a crook behind bars. He was a cop to serve and protect.

But sometimes, sometimes he really hated his job. Today was one of those days, when he was nothing more than a glorified bloodhound as he was summoned by nobility. A certain Lordship by the name of Izo had reported a theft from his mansion. And it was detective Smoker's duty to recover the stolen object.

If there was something he hated, it was nobility. They did nothing more than have a seat in the parliament and a stick up their butt, looking down on anyone who didn't have 'Sir' or 'Lord' in front of their name. And how did they earn it? They didn't. It was handed to them on a silver platter when they were born. Sure, some ancestor long ago probably was worthy of the title, but not this generation. No, this generation consisted of mere snobs. Smoker wanted justice for all, he really did, but it shouldn't be more important to retrieve a diamond for a duke than a family heirloom for a poor person. His boss thought differently.

Which was how he found himself in front of a gigantic mansion in which a whole orphanage would fit. Smoker rolled his eyes. The snob probably lived alone, aside maybe for his staff, whom would get a corner each.

However, there was nothing he could do. Seeking justice was his job and his chief had been very clear. Ringing the doorbell, he sighed and waited until the butler opened the door. The butler, who didn't wear a suit as Smoker had expected, nor was as stiff, invited Smoker in.

The deeper he entered the house, the more Smoker started to wonder. The house looked like it was supposed to, sure, if you only focussed on the decorations and the wooden furniture. But then he'd have to ignore the children's toys lying around and the occasional child bumping into him. He didn't remember anyone saying Lord Izo had any children. Smoker didn't even think he was married.

Digging deep in his memory, Smoker thought he remembered some article saying something about Lord Izo being very generous to charity organisations, but he didn't remember it saying anything about him adopting.

The butler stopped in front of a wooden door. "His Lordship expects you."

"Sure," Smoker said, still a bit confused. Opening the door, he found himself in a large office, all walls decorated with books. The chair behind the desk was turned toward the window, so Smoker couldn't see the occupant.

Closing the door, he cleared his throat and said in the hope that someone was actually present: "My name is detective Smoker. You called in a theft?"

Slowly, the chair turned around and Smoker's jaw dropped at the sight. He had expected a man in a suit or other fancy looking clothes, not a… kimono. On top of that, the person's face was decorated with makeup and in their arms, they held a baby.

"Please, keep your voice down," the lord said in a deeper voice than Smoker had expected. "My name is Izo. Thank you for coming. I'm afraid you made your trip for nothing, however."

Staggered, Smoker tried to reclaim his wits. He certainly hadn't expected the lord to look this… gorgeous. "For nothing? What do you mean?" He flipped open his notebook. "Didn't you report a missing diamond?"

"I did. Could you hold him, please?" Izo placed the baby in Smoker's arms and walked over to one of the bookcases. Smoker was too stunned to respond and stared at the child in his arms.

Izo retrieved a small box from behind some of the books. "It's very silly, really," he said apologetic. "One of the children thought it would be funny to hide it." He opened the box, revealing the diamond. "I wanted to call you, but I only discovered it a few minutes a go. I'm very sorry for inconveniencing you."

"That…" Smoker looked around. The room was how he expected a lord's office to look like, but Izo seemed out of place. "That's quite alright," he finished his sentence. He didn't even care his time had been wasted. It had been an interesting experience, after all. "You sure have many kids."

Izo laughed, a pleasant sound, Smoker decided. "I converted the mansion into an orphanage. These children seek good homes, but in the meantime, I take care of them."

Every time Smoker thought he might have figured the lord out, he came with a new surprise. He looked at the baby in his arms and rocked it gently to and fro. "Even this guy?"

"Are you looking to be a father, detective?" Izo asked in a teasing tone.

Smoker scratched the back of his head and mumbled something inaudible. Izo laughed again. "Why don't you follow me for some tea? You can get to know the little one a bit better."

For a moment, all Smoker could do was watch the lord leave. Then, finally managing to snap out of it, he hurried after Izo. This was one nobleman he didn't mind to get to know better.


	13. NamixVivi College AU

**NaVi, requested by Anon. College!AU**

Sighing, Nami tucked her study books further under her arm to prevent them from falling. She probably should have taken a backpack or something, but the park wasn't that far from her dorm, so she had deemed it a waste of effort to grab one. She had been wise enough to bring an umbrella.

She was planning to go study under the largest tree on campus, but the clouds looked threatening. The perfect time to go outside, she had decided. No one else would, which was why the library was cramped with students trying to absorb as much information into their brains as possible for their exams. It had been too noisy in her dorm and she didn't want to go to a coffee shop like some of her fellow students, because she would have to buy something. Money was tight right now, even if she got the reputation of a miser for it.

When she arrived at the tree, however, she saw someone already sitting there, completely lost in their books. She recognised the girl's face, though she couldn't remember her name. They had followed a few classes together, but only when Nami had taken courses outside her major. She remembered the girl always staying close to some blond guy in class, but she had also seen her talking to some older students as well, two rather intimidating looking guys.

The girl was pretty, with long light blue hair tied in a ponytail. It was hard not to remember someone like that. If only Nami could recall her name…

While she was observing her, the girl underneath the tree looked up and took an earbud out of her ear. "Hello," she said a little surprised. "May I help you?"

Now it was Nami's turn to be caught off guard. "Er, I planned to study here. It's a nice and quiet spot."

The girl smiled. "It is. A friend of mine told me about it. But there is no reason why we can't both study here." She moved to pick up her books that were scattered all around. "If you don't mind, of course," she hastily added. "I have to study as well, so I'll be quiet."

"That would be great, thank you." Nami sat down and placed her books and umbrella besides her. "I'm Nami, by the way."

"My name is Vivi." She held out her hand and Nami took it, surprised by how soft the other's hands felt. Realising the handshake took too long, she let go and settled underneath the tree, opening one of her books in her lap. Still, curiosity got the better of her and she peered over to the books of her study mate. They had all to do with politics and international relations. "Can I ask, what do you study?" she asked.

Vivi looked up. "I'm studying politics. What about you?"

"Meteorology. Say, we have followed some courses together, haven't we?" Nami replied, trying to be subtle. All the eagerness to study had disappeared and she much rather had a conversation with Vivi.

"Have we?" Vivi cocked her head. "I didn't take any courses in meteorology… Oh, I know! I had a few literature and journalism classes."

"That's's right!" Nami said like she hadn't remembered that right away. "Didn't you take those with your boyfriend?" She wondered if she should feel bad about fishing for information like this. Vivi had caught her eye right away in their first class together, but something had always gotten in between when she tried to talk to her. Now that she had Vivi all to herself, she wouldn't waste the opportunity.

"You mean Kohza?" Vivi laughed, a sound that made butterflies flutter around in Nami's stomach. "He's not my boyfriend. We have been friends since childhood."

"Oh, I see." She tried not to sound too relieved. "Well, we'd better focus on studying then," she said reluctantly when a silence fell.

Vivi smiled and nodded while she picked up her books again. Nami had a hard time concentrating, glancing at Vivi every once in a while. The girl looked so focused, her brow slightly furrowed as she made notes in a notebook.

Suddenly, the sound of raindrops on the leaves above them sounded. Vivi looked up and held out her hand. "Oh, it's raining. We'd better go inside. It's too bad, I like this spot."

"Hold on a sec." Nami picked up her umbrella and folding it out, she moved closer to the other girl, so they were both underneath the umbrella. Their sides were touching. "There, now we can stay."

Vivi smiled at her. "How ingenious." She giggled and piled up her books so they wouldn't get wet either. "Are you hungry?" she suddenly asked. "I haven't had lunch yet and I brought some extra."

Gratefully, Nami took a sandwich from Vivi and they looked at each other for a while, before Vivi blushed and hastily focused on the raindrops falling. Nami couldn't help but smile when she took a bite from her sandwich.

This was definitely the best spot to study.


	14. SaboxLaw Marine AU

**SaboLaw, requested by Anjelle. Marine!AU **

**(This story is based on the Dutch East India Company (VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie)) which sailed from the Netherlands to the East indies in the 17th century for trade)**

With his bag containing his few belongings draped over his shoulder, Sabo watched the ship in front of him in awe. He had never been in the harbour before today, though he had always wanted to. Of course, he had heard of the ships and the VOC, the company that sailed to the East Indies, coming back with new and interesting things. They had introduced many new spices Sabo had never tasted before, but had heard were delicious. No way he could ever afford something like that.

The ship in front of him was certainly impressive. He just hoped he wouldn't get seasick on his first travel.

An impatient guard pocked him in the back, forcing him to walk. They approached a fancy dressed man, which would be the captain. "We've got another one for you," one of the guards said.

Because the many voyages the VOC made, they always had a shortage for sailors, also because many didn't make it back. The sea was a dangerous place, Sabo was told, many sailors died from scurvy, falling overboard, infections, etcetera. Not very appealing, but Sabo didn't have a choice in it. Well, he did, it was this or rotting in jail. Who didn't want to go to prison, could choose the ocean. And like many other criminals, Sabo preferred the chance of freedom by sailing a ship of the VOC.

His shackles were removed and he was forced to work. He reminded himself that being treated like a slave was probably better than die in a prison cell.

* * *

Over the course of weeks, Sabo learned to walk straight on the rolling deck, to keep down the ship's biscuit after tapping out all maggots and not drink any water. Beer and wine were safer. He also got to know his fellow crewmates in the course of time. Many were like him, criminals who rather took their chance at sea than to die in a prison cell. Others had been drunkenly picked up off the street or even the toilet and after sleeping it off, they woke up aboard the ship. Some had signed on as sailors voluntarily, though one could wonder if they would have if they had enough food to live. Many parents sent the eldest son to the VOC because they didn't have the money to feed them anymore.

The captain ruled with an iron fist, but he was fair in his judgements. Then there was the fat minister, who led the service on Sundays. However, he was drunk more often than not, making Sabo wondering if he even remembered whom he was talking about.

But the most interesting person aboard, in Sabo's opinion, was the surgeon. He had heard awful stories about surgeons, how they often made wounds worse, chopping off limps with the only thing to suppress the pain a bottle of rum and a bundle of leather to prevent your teeth from damaging. Many of the sailors aboard the ship missed a limp or two. And that was when you're lucky. More often than not, any kind of wound or disease could kill a sailor.

Their surgeon was different. For one, he still had all his teeth, something that was a miracle aboard a ship. Most sailors missed a tooth or two, even the captain. How he did it Sabo wasn't sure, but his mortality rate was very low. On top of that, he was never drunk when performing an amputation – because no matter how good of a doctor he was, the resources aboard were limited and sometimes he had to cut – or ever when he worked, really.

Sabo didn't have had much interaction with him, because the surgeon kept to himself, only coming out for mass and dinner. The sailors didn't quite trust him, calling him a witch behind his back. They didn't dare to accuse him in the face, though Sabo hoped for the surgeon's sake that the times wouldn't become more rough, or the superstitious sailors might offer him to the sea. However they felt about him though, they didn't stop going to him for cures, albeit reluctantly.

Being healthy and careful, Sabo had managed to avoid a visit to the surgeon, but his streak couldn't continue when the voyage took almost a year, so after a few months, a little before they would reach the Cape, Sabo found himself in front of the surgeon's hut with a small cut. Hesitantly, he knocked.

"Yeah?" it sounded from the inside, which Sabo took as an invitation. He opened the door and stepped inside. The hut was larger than he had expected. From the walls hung shelves, filled with books and jars with unidentifiable things in there. On the table lay all sorts of medical instruments. Sabo didn't want to think about their uses.

It was dark in the hut, the only light falling inside through a small window and by the candle on the table. Sabo was just starting to wonder if had imagined the voice, when he saw a movement from the corner of his eye. On the bed against the back wall, the surgeon was lying. He sat up, stretching, and rose to walk to Sabo. "So, what ails you? Scurvy?"

"You sound hopeful," Sabo observed with a raised eyebrow.

The surgeon waved his hand. "Scurvy is easy enough to cure. Then what is it?"

Sabo lifted up his shirt and showed the cut on his abdomen. The surgeon leaned in and studied the wound. After a while, Sabo started to get nervous. The cut wasn't that bad, right? But the surgeon was staring at it like he had never seen anything like it before. He almost flinched when the surgeon suddenly touched the sensitive skin around the wound.

"What happened?"

Sabo shrugged. "Someone tried to slash me open." It had been a drunken sailor, he probably hadn't meant to kill him.

The surgeon hummed and started to rummage through the jars on the shelves. "Take off your shirt."

Sabo did as he was told. In the meantime, he studied the surgeon. The rumours about his teeth were true, he seemed to have them all. Other than that, he didn't really look like a sailor. He was tanned, true, but didn't look like he had to often lift heavy things. But unlike the minister, he wasn't fat either. He was rather lean. His hair was cut short and he had a carefully maintained goatee, causing Sabo to suspect that the man was actually a barber-surgeon, which was a common job on land. Sabo himself had quite the beard already.

The surgeon turned around again, holding some herbs. "Here, chew these."

"Why?" Sabo asked suspiciously.

The surgeon rolled his eyes. "They'll numb the pain a bit when I stitch you up. Go lie down."

Sabo did as he was told and chewing the herbs, he was starting to feel drowsy. He hardly noticed when the surgeon poured some clear liquid on his wound, only that it stung a bit. In fascination, he watched how the surgeon stuck a needle in his skin and quickly and skilfully started to make stitches.

He must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes again, he was still lying on the bed, but his wound was wrapped in gaze. Touching his chest carefully, he winced in pain.

"Try to move as little as you can or you'll tear the stitches," the surgeon said. He was sitting at the table, grinding up something in a mortar. He turned around and grinned. "I've taken the liberty to save your beard while you were out. You look much better. So I wouldn't mind seeing you back soon."


	15. ZoroxSanji Self Sacrifice AU

**ZoSan, requested by corazson. Self sacrifice!AU**

The carriage ride was silent as Sanji was alone in the coach. Zoro, his best friend, was supposed to come with him to meet Sanji's new fiancée, but he had angrily refused. Sanji didn't think he had ever seen him so mad before.

"It's not my fault, you know," Sanji had said softly. "It was fun while it lasted, but we both knew that one day we both had to get married and continue our bloodline. I'm sure your parents have someone in mind as well."

"I'll refuse her. I'll refuse her like I have done all the others. You could have fought for this!" Zoro had snapped.

Sanji sighed and stared out of the window. It were the last words Zoro had spoken to him, and they had hurt. He had been right, of course, Sanji could have tried to fight his parents again about the marriage arrangement, but it even if he could convince them this duchess wasn't a suitable match, the next lady would already be lined up. He had a responsibility towards his parents, to get married and have an heir. He couldn't have that with Zoro, as much as he would like that.

He and Zoro had known each other since they were kids. They had played together, though that usually ended in a fight. When they got older, the fighting continued, but developed into something else. Sanji couldn't remember how it started exactly, maybe an astray hand, an accidental kiss, but he knew that no woman could make him feel the same way as Zoro could. And he didn't want any woman to try.

The carriage came to a sudden halt and Sanji could hear the horses neighing. Frowning, he poked his head out of the window. "What the hell is going on?"

On the road, a woman with red hair was lying, seemingly fainted. Sanji's eyes widened and hastily, he climbed out of the carriage to come to her aid. The coachman had climbed down the coach-box and leaned over her.

"She was just lying here?" Sanji asked him and the coachman nodded.

"Dangerous place for a lady to be alone."

"Oh, I can handle myself," a lovely voice suddenly sounded and sitting up, the woman pulled two pistols from under her dress, aiming them at the two men. "Gentlemen, this is a robbery."

* * *

The carriage ride was way too loud with his wife and her friends chatting about. Zoro tried to tune them out and stared out of the window. It was two years ago that his friend and lover had been killed by highwaymen on the way of meeting his fiancée.

Zoro had never been able to forgive himself for not coming along. He could have saved Sanji, but he refused to go with him because he was angry. He had felt so betrayed when Sanji had accepted the duchess' hand in marriage that he had let his best friend be murdered.

It hadn't been long before his parents had coaxed Zoro into marrying some countess. He just hadn't cared anymore. Without Sanji, it didn't matter.

They were currently driving through the same area as where Sanji had been murdered. According to the coachman who had been driving Sanji and who had managed to escape, they were forced to stop when a woman was lying on the road. Of course the idiot had climbed out of the carriage, because Sanji had never been able to resist a woman. She turned out to be armed. It was when Sanji and the coachman had been at gunpoint that the rest of the robbers showed up, seven in total, including the first woman. Sanji had defended himself as well as he could and he had given the coachman the chance to escape. While running away, the coachman had heard a shot and seen Sanji fall down.

When Zoro had heard the news for the first time, he had wanted to strangle the coachman for leaving his master alone, but Sanji had been the kind of guy to protect the weak. Sanji would have given his life in vain if Zoro killed the coachman.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt and the chatter of the women died down. "What's going on?" Zoro called to the coachman as he leaned out of the window. Then he saw he reason.

On the side of the road, two people were standing, a man and a woman, only clad in their underwear and looking distressed. The woman had long red hair and the man's hair was curly and dark. The red-haired woman made Zoro suspicious, as Sanji's coachman had described the treacherous woman as having red hair, but on the other hand, seeing the way she was dressed, he doubted this woman could have any weapon on her.

He told his wife and her friends to stay put and after he had grabbed his sword, he climbed cautiously out of the carriage. "Who are you?" he asked the man and the woman.

"Thank heavens you passed by, good sir!" the man started. "We were raided by robbers and they stole our clothes! We have been waiting in the cold for hours!"

Suspiciously, Zoro took a step closer to the two and observed the man with the unusually long nose carefully. He seemed honest enough…

"Drop your sword," a voice suddenly sounded behind him and something that could only be a pistol was pocking in his back.

Slowly, Zoro raised his hands and dropped the sword. From the corner of his eye, he saw his coachman was held at gunpoint as well. His wife seemed to realise the situation, as suddenly loud shrieks came from the carriage.

The man behind Zoro turned his attention towards the ladies. "Don't worry, my dears. We won't hurt you~"

That voice… His eyes widened, Zoro whipped around, his mouth agape. "That's impossible… You're supposed to be dead!"

The corner of the mouth of the highwayman curled up. "Took you long enough to find me."

Sanji had matured in the past two years, his features more defined and his goatee finally grown out, but he was unmistakably the same man Zoro had known and loved, even if he was wearing a mask.

Without a word, Sanji walked over to his partner who held the coachman at gunpoint, a large man with blue hair, and whispered something in his ear.

"No problem, bro," the man said and forced the coachman to sit back on the coach-box. When he had done so, Sanji and the other man simultaneously slapped both horses on their behind. Neighing, they ran off.

Zoro watched the carriage, with his wife in it, disappear on the horizon. Then, he turned to Sanji. "Care to explain yourself?"

Sanji sighed and took off his mask. Zoro's eyes wandered over his face and his body and bit the inside of his lip. Sanji looked great, but he had made Zoro think he was dead for two years! Zoro had even married a woman!

"When I was raided two years back, I realised I finally had a way out," Sanji started. "Unlike you might have thought, I didn't want to marry that woman, I only wanted – want – you. I asked if Nami-swan and the others would take me in and they agreed. Getting in touch with you, however, was impossible without giving away I was still alive. But when I heard you would be travelling through these woods, I knew I had my chance." He stared at the ground and used the barrel of his pistol to scratch the back of his neck. "The only question is now, will you be 'killed' by robbers, or will you escape and return to your lovely wife?"

Zoro thought for a moment and took another look at Sanji. His not so dead lover looked worried. Zoro smirked. "What the hell. I've never been killed before."


	16. IzoxSmoker One week to live AU

**IzoSmoker, requested by Anon. One week to live!AU**

**(Based on the story of Boudicca, a Celtic queen, who, after her land was confiscated by the Romans, fought back and marched up to Rome in 60 or 61 AD)**

Even as a mere guard in a prison, Smoker hadn't missed the news that buzzed around in Rome. A Celtic queen by the name of Whitey had refused to let her land be taken and had risen up against the Romans. She had had considerable success, smashing down the Roman army and marching up to Rome. Eventually, her army was trapped in a forest, but refusing to be captured to the Romans, Queen Whitey had drunk a poison. The other Celts had been slaughtered or captured by the Romans. One of them, the leader of a neighbouring tribe of Whitey, who had joined her in her riot against the oppressors, was currently sitting in the cell Smoker was guarding.

Smoker had never been outside of Rome, so this was the first time he had seen a Celt. And to be honest, this man looked nothing like the barbarians his fellow Romans described them to be. Sure, his face had been painted and he was covered in blood and mud, but a battle does that to someone, even Romans. The Celt, Izo was his name, Smoker had heard, had been a chieftain and Smoker had to admit, he did look the part. This Izo had an air about him of a leader, and his hair and moustache had been well maintained and braided. It was a fashion Smoker wasn't accustomed to, but he thought it suited the Celt fairly well.

It was a shame he would be executed in a week time.

"How many days do I have left, warden?"

Smoker looked up in surprise. He was alone here, aside from the prisoner, and, judging by the heavy accent, it was a foreigner who spoke. The Celt had been a silent one up till now. Apparently, he had finally decided to speak.

Smoker turned towards the prison door and looked through the bars in the small window. "You speak Latin?"

Despite the darkness, he could see a small smile on the Celt's pale face. "I'm not as uncultured as you think I am."

"I have to admit, you're nothing like I expected," Smoker said. "But your execution is set in seven days."

"Seven days, huh?" Izo leaned his head against the thick wall. "Perhaps I should have followed my Queen and poisoned myself."

Smoker wasn't sure what to say. He had heard rumours that the Romans had asked for the war after they ignored Whitey's husband's will to leave his kingdom to his daughters and took over the land. Smoker was actually impressed by the strength the Celts had shown and how far they had come. "You have fought well," he eventually said.

Izo turned his head and smiled weakly. "Are you sure you're a Roman?"

Smoker shrugged. "I'm just a prison guard." He had fought in the army and was a firm believer in the Roman law, but the way they had treated the Celts wasn't right. It wasn't justice.

They spent the rest of Smoker's shift talking. Izo told the guard more about Britain and it didn't sound as awful as the other Roman soldiers had made it sound. Of course, they were used to warm Italy. Izo tried to teach Smoker some Celtic words as well, even though his pronunciation had to be horrible.

Smoker had never thought he would sympathise with a prisoner.

* * *

When he returned to be on guard the next morning, the other guard who left said to him: "That Celt shouldn't bother you today." With a smirk, he left.

A feeling of dread pooled in Smoker's gut and he hastened to the cell. "Izo! Are you alright?"

He could see the Celt lying with his back turned to the door. Panicking, he opened the door and kneeled next to the prisoner. Izo's face was covered in blood, more than it had been before. Pale, Smoker shook him gently at his shoulder.

Finally, Izo cracked his eyes open and smiled when he recognised Smoker. "You're back."

"What the hell happened to you?!"

Izo shrugged and immediately winced in pain. "Nothing I didn't expect. Remember I'm the cause of many Roman deaths. I'm just surprised they didn't kill me."

"If they had, I would kill them," Smoker grouched.

The faintest of smiles appeared on Izo's face.

A little embarrassed about his words, Smoker left Izo to get some water to wash himself. Izo was sitting up when he returned and took the bowl of water and cloth gratefully before he started to wash the blood, mud and paint off his face. "Why are you kind to me?" he asked when Smoker hesitated at the door. "I am your enemy."

"I believe in justice," the guard grouched. "And beating up an unarmed prisoner, that isn't justice."

The smile that the Celt gave him did strange things to his heartbeat.

* * *

Over the next couple of days, Smoker took over all shifts from other guards so he could stay near Izo. He wouldn't allow the incident from the first night to repeat itself.

Izo had his lips curled in a smile when Smoker had sent away the first guard to take over his shift and Smoker found himself flushed for some reason. While it was just the two of them now – unless a servant brought them food – they talked less than on the first night. Smoker felt like his loyalty had been called into question. The Romans had been in the wrong when taking over Queen Whitey's land, that much was certain. But then she attacked, which of course was her full right, but many Romans had died in battle. Izo had killed many of them as well. So what was justice in this case? Not beating up a prisoner of course, but did the Celt deserve to die?

On the night before the execution, the guard reached a decision. Already too many lives had been sacrificed in the battle. Izo had suffered enough.

The key squeaked in the lock when he turned it, waking the Celt. "Is it time to die already?" Izo asked sleepily.

"No, and it will not be for a long time," Smoker said. "Go, you're free."

Elegantly, as only Izo could as a prisoner in a faraway land, the Celt rose and looked at the guard curiously. "Why?"

"Enough people have been killed already. Just go before I change my mind." Smoker deliberately looked away. He wasn't sure if he could watch the Celt leave.

"What about you?"

"Me?" Confused, Smoker looked at Izo.

"Won't they execute you in my stead if they found out I escaped?" Izo's face appeared neutral, but a glimmer of worry was visible in his eyes.

"I'll be fine." It was a lie and they both knew it. As soon as the guards would come to pick Izo up and found the cell empty, Smoker would be the one facing the lions.

"Come with me."

The guard looked at Izo's outstretched hand with a raised eyebrow. "You want me with you?"

Izo shrugged. "I have nowhere to return to. Everyone I loved is dead and the land I called my home is now Roman. I can't live in the Empire as an escaped prisoner. And neither can you if you really let me go. They'll see you as something worse than an enemy, you'll be a traitor."

Smoker only hesitated for a second before grabbing Izo's hand.


	17. ZeffxKureha Forbidden AU

**ZeffKureha, requested by Ventusio. Forbidden!AU**

**(Based on the work of Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War (1853-56))**

Kureha placed her hands on her hips as she looked around the hospital with patients. When she had arrived here, things had been a mess and many of the wounded died. Medicine had been in short supply and hygiene had left a lot to be desired. The medical staff had been overworked and neglected to treat the patients sufficiently. Kureha had read about the poor conditions in the newspaper and left for the Crimean war almost immediately. Death was part of the job, but amount of people who died from treatable wounds was unacceptable. Even if she didn't understand why those fools started a war in the first place. Stupid boys.

Kureha had kicked out the worn out medical staff to eat and sleep, and went to work with her own staff. She had sent a plea to the newspaper to ask for more medicine and the government had responded. Thanks to Kureha's care, the deaths went down to ten percent of what it had been. She smacked anyone on the head until they listened to her and gave lectures about basic hygiene. Honestly, it was unacceptable to have so many wounded soldiers die from diseases like typhus and cholera when they could have survived their wounds.

While she checked in her patients holding a lamp, the doors opened and another soldier was brought in, his leg heavily wounded. Kureha raised an eyebrow as the medical staff members placed him from the stretcher on a table. Her arms crossed her chest, Kureha observed the wounds and made a diagnose.

The soldier appeared to be in a lot of pain, sweat on his brow and his eyes screwed shut. Kureha sighed and rolled up her sleeves. Time to get to work. She barked at the nun closest by to get her supplies and clean water and cloths. When the things she had asked for were brought, she started to wash away the blood.

While she cleaned the wounds, she studied the soldier's face. Somehow, he didn't strike her as a soldier. His braided blond moustache seemed well maintained and his face was hardened by the wind. He appeared to be a sailor rather than a soldier. It wasn't a strange thing to see, there was a lack of soldiers so other boys were recruited. But there was something about this man…

His hands were strong and had callous on them, but not as much as she expected from a sailor. There were many small scars from cuts as well.

As soon as the blood had been washed away, it was clear to Kureha that she wouldn't be able to save the soldier's leg, not for the lack of skill of course, but because of the lack of supplies. She didn't have the tools in this hospital.

The soldier furrowed his brow and slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment for his eyes to focus, but then they rested on Kureha. "Just cut the damn thing off," he whispered hoarsely.

Despite his wounds, she smacked him on the head. "Which one of us is the doctor?" she snapped, but then her face got serious. "But you get what you wish for. I don't have the supplies to save your leg, but at least you'll keep your life." She turned around and took a swig from the bottle of rum that stood ready, before putting the opening in the soldier's mouth. "Drink up, you'll need it." Really, if these silly boys hadn't start this war, she could have asked the Russian doctor Hiluluk about his new method of anaesthetics. But now, talking to the 'enemy' would be considered treason.

Kureha placed a piece of thick leather between the soldier's jaws and grabbed her saw. Starting the procedure, it didn't take long for the soldier to pass out from pain.

Once she had cut off the leg below the knee and scorched the wound shut, she took a look at the name embroidered on the soldier's uniform. When she took the fabric between her fingers to see the name better – Zeff Redleg, the man was called – a photo of a young blond boy fell out. Kureha picked it up and looked at the boy, who was scowling at the camera, probably his son. She shook her head. "Fools," she muttered.

* * *

Zeff's leg healed prosperously and a carpenter had made him a wooden leg to help him walk. Kureha had to admit, the soldier's attitude was admirable. As soon as she gave him green light, he tried walking with his new leg and he was surprisingly successful. It was like he had always had a peg leg. Yet she noticed that he only walked around when he thought he was alone.

Watching him practice his walking from the doorway, Kureha noticed the photo he was holding in his hand, staring at it sadly.

"If you're walking around like that, they'll want you back in the army as soon as I clear you," Kureha said, leaning against the doorframe.

Obviously, Zeff hadn't heard her coming, because the photo slipped from his fingers onto the floor. Kureha raised an eyebrow and picked up the photo before the wounded soldier could. "Your boy?"

Zeff snatched back the photo and huffed. "Just a little eggplant." Then his face softened. "A little eggplant with no one to feed him."

"I take it you took that task upon yourself until this silly war?" Kureha inquired.

Zeff snorted. "I'm a chef. My job is to keep people alive, not kill them. But if this boy dies because I had to fight for something I don't care about, heads will roll."

"The only reason I'm here is because if I'm not, a lot more people would die," Kureha said, crossing her arms before her chest. "Not because I believe in the cause."

Zeff sighed and looked at the photo again. "Would you tell anyone if I snuck out at night to go home?"

Kureha raised her eyebrow. "You're willing to become a deserter for this kid? It's forbidden to leave the army without permission and they wouldn't want to lose a soldier who can still fight."

Zeff looked away and didn't respond. He seemed to regret his words, of course, he didn't know if he could trust her not to tell on him.

Kureha snorted. "Which why they won't miss you. Honestly, most people learn to walk with a peg leg, but you can't to save your life."

Zeff stared at her, his eyes wide. "You just said–"

"I said that you're a useless soldier and you should go home," Kureha retorted. "You'll only end back here, or worse, cause others to come here. You're a liability and I don't have time to take care of sure cannon fodder." She threw a crutch at him.

Catching it just in time, Zeff leaned heavily on the crutch and watched silently how Kureha bound his leg again with dirty bandages, which made his wound look terrible. "Thank you," he said softly once she was finished.

She snorted and turned towards the window. "Just get out of my hospital, you're only taking up space."

Zeff nodded and limped out of the room, the photo of the boy safely in his pocket.

Without turning around, Kureha said softly: "Say hi to the boy from me."


	18. LawxLuffy After you kissed me

**LawLu, "Things you said... after you kissed me", requested by Vergina-spva**

**Set in the storyline of _Breaking through Fire_, but independably readable**

Law had to admit, it took him longer to realise what was going on than he cared to admit. He was studying to be a doctor, for crying out loud! Then again, Luffy had always been a bit weird, and the pirate songs were nothing new either. Yet, even Luffy could walk in a straight line, usually…

"Yoho ho, a pirates life for me!" Luffy sang loudly as he dangled from the lamp – which, again, was nothing new. Only then he seemed to notice Law standing in the doorway, his study books still under his arm. "Traffy!" he called out as he launched himself onto Law, and once again, Law wondered why he hadn't moved out yet. This place would kill him one day.

"I was soooo bored! Come, sing with me! Yoho ho…!"

Law pushed Luffy off him, and was about to berate him, when the stench of alcohol reached him. "Have you been drinking?" he asked, more surprised than angry. He couldn't care less if Luffy decided in the middle of the day, but Luffy usually kept to non-alcoholic beverages – and those only to wash away the food he was eating.

"I don't drink, silly," Luffy giggled and drifted about through the living room.

Law leaned against the doorpost. If he hadn't drunk anything from Ace's or Law's stash, then how was he drunk? Liquor filled chocolates wouldn't get him this drunk, no matter how much of a lightweight he was.

Law heard the keys turn in the front door, and Ace stepped inside, carrying groceries.

"I'm back!" he called, before he saw Law standing. "Hey, what's up?"

"It seems like Luffy is drunk," Law said casually.

"What? My brother doesn't drin– Lu, get down from there!' Ace called out when Luffy had climbed on top of the bookcase.

"Hi Ace!" Luffy waved and jumped down. When he straightened, he walked towards Law and Ace, who were still standing by the door, in a less than straight line. When he was standing before them, he blinked owlishly with his eyes, as if he had forgotten why he came there, until he noticed the bag Ace was holding. "Food! I'm starving!"

Ace quickly hid the bag behind his back, and Law intervened by jumping in front of Luffy and catching him by his waist. A sober Luffy was a disaster for one's fridge, so who knew what kind of damage a drunken Luffy could do.

Luffy was squirming in his arms, but Law managed to hold on to him. "How the hell did this happen?" he called over his shoulder to the slightly stunned Ace.

"How should I know? The only thing I can think of is…" Ace's eyes widened, and a guilty look appeared on his face. "Okay, don't be mad, but I may have made Jell-O with vodka and put it in the fridge."

"Without locking the door?!" Law would have facepalmed if he hadn't had his hands full. Luffy alone in the house would eat anything that looked edible, especially when groceries had to be done.

Luffy was still struggling to get free, but even in his drunken state he seemed to realise Law wasn't going to let go. So he had to go to drastic measures.

Taking Law's face in both hands, he placed a smack on Law's lips.

Law froze and let go of Luffy, who immediately dove onto Ace. Ace was used to his little brother and easily took him into a hold.

Luffy giggled. "You taste like cherry."

Ace snorted with laughter. "Are you wearing cherry-flavoured lip balm or did he managed to slip his tongue in? Is my brother a good kisser?"

Law finally snapped out of it and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "It was like kissing a monkey."


	19. MarcoxAce When you were crying

**"Things you said... when you were crying", MarcoAce, requested by anon**

**Based on an alternative version of _Reborn in Fire_, which I may or may not write**

Marco hadn't seen Ace in a few days. He hadn't realised it at first, but now that he thought about it, something was missing. There was no one talking to him nineteen to the dozen about things that had happened at school or with his friends, or flashing bright smiles at him. Marco liked living alone after growing up with so many siblings, but ever since he met Ace two years ago, he realised it could get lonely. He had to admit that Ace brightened up his day. Being a firefighter, with several fires this week, Marco had been busy, but Ace hadn't even stopped by at the fire station, even if he loved doing that.

Sighing, Marco wondered if he was being silly. Ace was a lot younger than he was, and many people disapproved of their friendship, even if nothing weird was going on. But of course that was to be expected when a grown man hung out with a fourteen year old. Perhaps Ace had realised that as well and was that the reason he stayed away – even if Marco doubted that, it wasn't like Ace was very rational, or that he cared what other people thought of them.

In any case, Marco had come to see Ace as one of his siblings. Ace had come over to Pops' house often enough, and was very close with Haruta, who was his age.

Marco decided that the nagging feeling that something was wrong was just him being paranoid. Ace probably had other things on his mind right now than to visit Marco. Instead, Marco opened the door to check the mailbox for mail.

However, he had barely opened the lid of the mailbox when he saw a small figure sitting, huddled up against the wall. Ace had his knees brought up to his face, his arms wrapped around them.

Curiously, but mostly worriedly, Marco knelt down next to him, softly placing his hand on Ace's arm. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Ace didn't look up, but fervently shook his head.

Marco realised this was going to take a while and sat down next to Ace against the wall. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Finally, Ace looked up, and Marco was startled when he saw his bloodshot eyes. Ace had been crying, and seeing how his bottom lip trembled, he was about to start again. His big brother instinct kicking in, Marco wrapped his arms around Ace's small frame and pulled him close.

Ace let him hold him for a moment, before he pulled back. "I can't hang out with you anymore," he said, his voice hoarsely.

"How come?" Marco asked curiously.

Ace sniffled. "Gramps's getting a promotion, and we're gonna move away!" He fell back in Marco's arms again.

Musing, Marco caressed Ace's hair. "Where are you moving to?"

"Sabaody." Ace sniffled again, and Marco wondered if he should offer him a handkerchief.

Marco hummed. "That's quite a drive, but it doesn't mean we'll never see each other again, right? You can always go to Pops' house to play with Haruta. It'll be farther, but…"

Ace looked up again, chewing on his lip nervously. "Still, we won't see each other as often, and there's something I need to tell you… I…" His cheeks coloured bright red and he looked to the ground. "I really like you!"

Marco stayed silent for a moment. He had had a feeling this would be coming, but hoped he was wrong. Ace hadn't exactly been subtle, even if he had tried to hide his feelings. Now Marco had to let him down gently.

"Ace," he started.

Ace was still looking at the same spot on the ground and didn't respond.

"I like you too, Ace, but not like that. You're like a little brother to me–" Marco stopped talking when Ace looked up, fire burning in his eyes.

"But you _like _me! I'm not your brother! Please!" Ace all but begged.

"I'm twice your age, Ace. Plus, you're a minor."

"I don't care how old you are!" Ace protested, ignoring Marco's second argument. "I really like you."

Marco sighed. "You're too young to know what that means. You just idolise me."

"No, I don't!" Ace jumped to his feet. "I'm not a stupid kid!"

"Maybe not stupid, but you are a kid."

Ace's hands clenched into fists, and tears started to stream down his face, which he brusquely started to wipe away. "I thought you were different! You never treated me like a kid; you made me feel like your equal. But you're just like everyone else, saying I'm too young for everything. You were my hero!"

Marco closed his eyes. Ace's words hurt, even if they contradicted each other. But it only proved how young he indeed was, if he couldn't see things rationally.

"Ace," Marco tried again. He hated seeing Ace like this, and he hated what he feared would happen if he didn't manage to calm Ace down.

Which was exactly what happened.

"I hate you! I'm glad we're moving so I'll never have to see your stupid face again!" Ace turned around and ran away, leaving Marco alone behind.


	20. MarcoxAce Pineapples

**"I wish you would write a fic... where marco loves the taste of pineapples in the morning", requested by anon**

**Slightly NSFW**

Ace woke up from the sound of someone rummaging through cabinets in the kitchen downstairs. He groaned and turned round again. This was not how he had imagined waking up after sleeping over at Marco's house for the first time. To be honest, he had hoped that Marco would be still lying next to him, and perhaps a repetition of last night…

Another thump, and Ace sat upright in bed, rubbing his eyes. What the hell was Marco up to this early? Yawning, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and hoisted himself up. Before leaving the room, he remembered to put on boxers, and he descended the stairs.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked once he had arrived in the kitchen. It came out more like a whine than he had intended.

Marco turned around. "Sorry, did I wake you? I'm just looking for something."

"What are you looking for?"

Marco rose from the crouching position he was sitting in to look into the cabinet underneath the sink, and hummed. "I… like to eat pineapple for breakfast and I swear I bought one. I just can't seem to find it anywhere."

Ace paled. "Oh, er… I didn't know it would be your breakfast."

Marco looked up.

Ace scratched the back of his head. "I woke up early and I was hungry so… I may have eaten it?" He grinned sheepishly.

Marco sighed. "Great. And since it's Sunday morning, the stores are closed too, so I don't have breakfast."

"I'm sorry." Ace bowed deeply. He felt bad.

Suddenly, a mischievous smirk appeared on Marco's face, and he let himself sink onto his knees before Ace, his hands on the waistband of Ace's boxers. "Then I guess we'll just have to find out if it's true what they say~"


	21. ShanksxBenn First kiss

**"I wish you would write a fic... where Benn and Shanks kiss for the first time", requested by arzani92**

Shanks tried to step out of the train without being trampled – failing miserably. His briefcasee was stuck between people or other cases, but when he pulled, the handle broke and the briefcase fell, and Shanks had to go back into the train to get it.

Unfortunately, that was the moment the conductor blew their whistle, and the doors of the train closed. Shanks cursed and tried to leap out of the train, only to be hit in the face by the door.

Great, could this day get any worse? Shanks prided himself in being an optimist and, usually, an unexpected trip would be welcome, but he was tired after working and he just wanted to go home.

Sighing again, he decided that he would just exit the train at the next station – which was about an hour away from his original destination – and take the next train back. Or he would just go to a hotel or something and make a mini-vacation out of it. It was weekend anyway, and he could use some time away from home.

Content with that decision, Shanks went to look for a seat. Most people had exited the train where Shanks had wanted to do that as well, so the compartment was relatively empty. He could just sit wherever, when his eye fell on a man, who was looking out of the window.

Shanks knew him. He had gone to college with him, now seemingly so long ago. Benn Beckman – his name came back instantly – had been the cool, mysterious type Shanks hadn't been able to resist. Even after all these years, his crush came rushing back to him.

Benn was nice, despite his aloof nature, but they had never been more than friends, or maybe just acquaintances. Shanks had never dared to ask him out, something he regretted to this day. Fate had given him a golden opportunity to make up for that, and Shanks smirked. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing he had missed his station.

He hastened himself to the toilet booth, to tidy himself up a bit. In the scratched mirror, he tried to fix his hair and not to look how he felt only five minutes ago, namely, like he was run over by a truck.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked casually, once he had made his way back to the compartment. He tried to act cool, something he didn't feel. He had no idea if Benn even remembered him; they had only shared one class, and Shanks couldn't say he had been impressive then.

Benn looked up from the newspaper he was reading and cast a look around the compartment.

Shanks started to sweat. There were enough empty seats, there was no reason for him to sit across Benn, who was barely more than a stranger.

Yet, Benn smiled lightly and folded the newspaper. "Go ahead."

Doing an inner victory dance, Shanks sat down, only to immediately wanted to facepalm. Benn could just as well be only polite; social conventions advised against him saying no at the request.

Sighing, Shanks opted for staring out of the window. His disability to talk to Benn like he was a normal human being came rushing back. Perhaps fate only tried to mock him, after all.

From the corner of his eye, Shanks observed Benn. He looked older – obviously – and more rugged than Shanks remembered, but he was no less gorgeous. Shanks had no idea if he was into men, but even if he wasn't, Shanks decided they should at least be friends.

"We went to college together," he said bluntly, and rolled his eyes at himself. He could have eased Benn into the conversation, or started at least like he only just realised that Benn might look familiar.

The corner of Benn's mouth curled up in a smile. "I know."

Shanks was taken aback by that a little. He had expected to have to remind Benn how they knew each other. Apparently, Benn had recognised him as well.

Trying to cover up his bafflement, Shanks cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair. "So, how have you been then?"

"I'm doing alright." Benn's dark eyes pierced into Shanks', and Shanks could feel his mouth go dry. "How are you?"

Casually, or at least hoping he looked casual, Shanks grabbed his bottle of water from his broken briefcase and took a sip to rid himself of his dry mouth. "I'm doing okay. Got a job and everything." He managed a smirk.

"Looks like you need a new briefcase," Benn remarked, looking at the broken handle.

Shanks scratched the back of his head embarrassedly. "Yeah, it broke just now when it was stuck between people."

"You should wait until people exiting the train have left before entering," Benn said amusedly.

"I was trying to exit."

Benn's eyebrow rose.

"I was supposed to go off at the previous station," Shanks explained. "But the train drove off before I could exit the train."

"So you'll try to catch the next train back at the next station?"

"Perhaps." Shanks looked up with what he hoped was a seductive look. "Or maybe I'll get off some other time."

Benn's eyes widened slightly at that barely concealed innuendo. "Well," he then said, "you should always get off at your destination. But if you can't, the journey should be worth it."

A smirk stretched across Shanks' face. Benn was flirting right back at him, wasn't he? In any case, this was an interesting development.

"What about your destination?" Shanks inquired, leaning with his elbow on the small table between them, and resting his head on his hand.

"That depends on what you mean. Next stop is where I need to get off the train, but my final destination is flexible," Benn replied. "I'm trying to enjoy the journey, though."

Shanks flashed him another grin. "I have a feeling this might be a very pleasant journey, don't you?"

Benn smirked.

They talked for the remainder of the train ride, and Shanks ended up sitting next to Benn. It turned out Benn knew Yasopp, one of Shanks' closest friends as well, and, apparently, Shanks and Benn had missed each other at Yasopp's birthday.

The next station was announced, and Benn rose to take his suitcase from the luggage rack. He had just returned from a business trip, he had told Shanks. Together, they exited the train, Shanks having his broken briefcase clutched under his arm.

When they arrived in the terminal hall, Benn cast a look on the departure board and sighed. "It seems like a train back for you leaves in three minutes. You can still catch it."

"I _could_," Shanks said pensively. "Or… I could enjoy the journey a little longer."

Benn perked up at that.

"I was considering taking a mini-vacation here, anyway," Shanks continued. "If you know a place where I can stay…?"

Benn smirked slightly. "Perhaps dinner first?"

Shanks couldn't help the grin that stretched across his face. "Dinner sounds good. But I had something else in mind to try first." Before Benn could respond, Shanks grabbed the back of his head and pulled him close.

Their lips met, and Benn didn't do anything to stop Shanks. Rather, he pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around Shanks' waist.

Shanks pulled back slightly and smirked. "I'd say this is my favourite part of the journey."

Benn mirrored his expression. "Perhaps you're speaking too soon." He took Shanks' hand and started leading him away. "After all, we haven't reached our destination yet."


	22. ShanksxBenn When we nearly lost it all

**"Things you said [make your own] - when we nearly lost it all", ShanksBenn, requested by arzani92**

**Based on ideas I have for the ShanksBenn version of the Fire Universe**

**Inspired by _Rolling in the Deep_, by Adele**

Another wave slammed him against the railing of the ship, knocking the air out of his lungs. Even this modern steel ship was no match for the rage of the sea. Benn held on to the railing, trying to see anything through the rain lashing against his face. At least two of his fellow sailors had gone overboard, never to be seen again.

Benn knew he had to go inside, but a nagging feeling in the back of his head withheld him from doing so. Call it instinct, but Benn felt like this ship wouldn't make it to shore. And if he was inside, like his crewmembers, he would certainly drown. And dying wasn't an option for him. Not here, not now. Not when he still hadn't fulfilled his promise to Shanks.

One more journey, he had said. One more, and they could be together. He would never know why Shanks had accepted that, had waited for him all these years, but now, Benn couldn't wait to be back home, where Shanks was.

They had lost cargo already, and when a shrieking sound cut through the air, even drowning out the thunder, Benn knew it was over. The hull of the ship had been damaged, and Benn was sure it wouldn't take long until the ship would keel over.

* * *

Benn's eyes fluttered open. He felt a pressure on his chest, and many people were talking. It was still dark around him, but the rain had stopped. Blue and red lights flashed on his left. The pressure on his chest stopped, and Benn choked up some salty water, retching because of the awful taste.

Turning his head, he saw several police cars and ambulances standing. Above him hovered a worried looking face, and Benn was handed an oxygen mask. Only now he realised how cold he was, despite, apparently, been wrapped in blankets. Still, he lifted up his head to see what the hell was going on. He wasn't dead, that much was clear, but that was about as much as he could make of the situation.

He wanted to remove his oxygen mask, but the nurse stopped him, shaking his head. "Your ship has capsized. They're looking for survivors." He nodded his head in the direction of the see, where Benn could make out lights, floating around.

His question must have been obvious, as the nurse continued, "You're the only one washed ashore. Well, the only one _alive_…" His voice trailed off, and, sadly, he turned back to the sea.

Suddenly, Benn felt incredibly tired. His eyes closed automatically as he fought to stay wake. He should help look for his crewmates. He should…

* * *

The next time he woke up was in the hospital. He had a disgusting taste in his mouth and was glad to find out a glass of water was standing ready for him.

His possessions were lying on the bed stand next to him. His wallet had been emptied, and the money he had, along with cards, had been dried. His phone was disassembled, probably also to dry.

The parts were feeling dry, so Benn decided to assemble the device again. His friends always made fun of his old phone, but when the screen lighted up, Benn couldn't wait to rub it into their faces. Okay, so maybe he couldn't go on the internet, or even put music on it, and really the device only worked for calling and texting, but if it could survive a storm on sea, Benn was keeping it.

He had several missed calls, a few from an unknown number, but the others were from Yasopp and Roo.

Benn frowned. Those two hardly ever called him, let alone twenty times. Shanks was the impatient one, and still Benn thought it was an emergency when Shanks called him several times in a row. He couldn't be reached on sea for obvious reasons, so he had told Shanks that he would call when he could, but that didn't stop Shanks from trying.

Now, however, Shanks hadn't called him, not even once, and for some reason, that was more ominous to Benn than twenty missed calls from him.

He decided to call Shanks first, but the feeling of dread only intensified when Shanks didn't answer his phone. He tried to calm himself down; Shanks could have forgotten to charge his phone or something. Those modern devices ran out of juice in no time, after all.

Only Shanks wasn't one to forget such a thing, as his phone was very important to him. And Benn knew he himself was a large part of that reason.

After a few failed attempts to reach Shanks, because Benn refused to believe it, he tried Yasopp's number. Fortunately, Yasopp picked up only after one ring.

"Benn, thank goodness!"

Benn couldn't remember having ever heard him sound so distressed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It's Shanks."

Benn felt like someone thrown a bucket of ice water over him. Taking a deep breath, he tried to keep calm as he asked, "What happened?"

It wasn't the first time Shanks was in trouble, he told himself. It would be okay.

"He was in a car accident. He survived, but…" Yasopp hesitated. "He was driving with that boy, Luffy, when another car hit them. He dove onto Luffy to protect him."

"Is the boy okay?" Benn demanded.

"He is fine. Just a few cuts and bruises, but he's skipping around again already. Shanks, however… His arm was stuck in the car wreck. It… It couldn't be saved. They had to amputate it to get him out of the car." Yasopp's voice quivered slightly.

Benn was silent for a moment to let the news sink in. Shanks was okay, knowing him, losing an arm wouldn't dampen his mood. But still, Shanks needed him right now.

"I'm on my way," Benn said curtly, and hung up. He would only need to find the nearest airport.

* * *

Benn stood in the doorway of anther hospital, looking into the room. Yasopp and Roo were sitting next to Shanks.

Even though he didn't move his head, Benn was certain Shanks had noticed him first. Roo followed his gaze and turned to Benn, as smirk on his round face.

"You're getting yelled at," he said teasingly to Shanks, who just smiled.

Ysaopp and Roo left the room, the former placing his hand on Benn's shoulder for a moment as he passed. Benn sighed and entered the room.

Shanks was pale, his face covered in plasters that didn't hide the bruises. Despite everything, he grinned at Benn. "Good to see you, buddy."

Benn gave him an unamused look as he took a seat, but then his face softened and he smiled. "You saved his life, I hear."

Shanks shrugged, and then winced in pain. "They were aiming for me. Not the boy. He shouldn't have been there."

Benn's eyes softened.

"Don't be like that." Shanks gave him a playful punch against the shoulder. "I'm fine. It's just an arm, and the rest will heal."

Benn took Shanks's unharmed hand in his and inspected it, before pressing it against his cheek. "You don't have to pretend for me. I know you're in pain. And I don't just mean physically."

The smile fell from Shanks' face and he sighed.

They stayed silent for a moment, until Shanks looked up again. "What about you?"

Benn, who was still holding Shanks' hand, now pressed against his forehead, looked up. "What about me?"

"I read about the ship wreck. Just because it happened on the other side of the globe, doesn't mean that I don't find out. Just a handful of survivors. I knew you had to be one of them because… You just had to be."

Benn smiled sadly and sat down next to Shanks on the bed. He pressed their foreheads together. Shanks closed his eyes as Benn intertwined his fingers with the red strands.

"It seems like we nearly lost it all," Benn whispered.

Shanks hummed in agreement and opened his eyes again. "And that while we could have had it all."

Benn could feel Shanks' warm breath against his skin. He was back, here with Shanks, and it was time to fulfil his promise. "We still can."

Shanks only had to tilt his head when Benn's lips met his.


	23. MarcoxAce Tattoo

Written for the MarcoAce week 2015 day 2 with the theme "Tattoo".

Thanks to MyLadyDay for pointing out some things about tattoos.

* * *

"Marco! You're such a meanie! Let me see!" Ace pounded with his fists on the door of Marco's bedroom.

Inside his room, Marco chuckled. Ace was right, he was a little mean. Ever since he had announced he would get a tattoo of their family's crest, his younger siblings had been excited, especially Ace, who had even declared immediately he wanted one too. Marco was five and a half years older than Ace, and having just turned eighteen, it was finally legal for Marco to have a tattoo.

Pops was just as excited as the others were, but still he hadn't been willing to give permission for a tattoo when his children were underage. "Once you turn eighteen, it's your body and you can do with it what you want. Until then, it's my responsibility," he had said.

Marco had waited until all his underage siblings had gone to camp during the summer to place the tattoo. Because the tattoo was large and placed on his chest, he had had to make several appointments. Not only because of the pain, but Marco had to regulate his breathing while the tattoo artist was at work, something which he couldn't keep up for a long amount of time. So the two weeks the house was nearly empty with all his younger siblings at camp had been the perfect time.

And now Ace was back and had found out.

"Alright, alright." Marco rose from his bed and opened the door for Ace, who all but tumbled inside. "How about you help me take off the foil," he pointed at the protective foil stuck to his chest, "and you'll be the first to see it finished."

The pout disappeared from Ace's face, and he beamed up at Marco.

Marco smiled back. He was crazy about his little brother, and especially when he laughed.

Marco sat down on the bed, and Ace started to peel off the foil, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration.

"Careful," Marco warned redundantly.

Finally, the foil was peeled off in its entirety, and Ace took a step back to admire the piece of art that now decorated Marco's chest in awe. It was a simple design, a blue cross and a crescent shape through it, pointing up.

Ace reached out his hand, but stopped before he touched Marco and looked at him questioningly. Marco nodded, and, carefully, Ace touched the coloured skin.

"It's amazing," he breathed. "Did it hurt?"

Marco smiled and pulled his little brother close. "Like hell. Do you still want one?"

Ace nodded vehemently. "Just, maybe not on my chest," he added in afterthought.

"Do you want the same as me then?"

"No. I'll show you!" Ace walked to Marco's desk and hopped onto the desk chair. He pulled a piece of paper towards him and started to draw.

For a while, it stayed silent in the room, the scratching if Ace pencil on paper the only sound to be heard. Marco realised this would take a while, and picked up a book.

Finally, Ace turned around and showed his drawing proudly. "This is what I want."

Marco took the paper and studied it closely. Ace had drawn a cross of purple bones, with in front of it an equally purple, simple, grinning skull with their Pops' trademark moustache. "That looks great," he praised Ace. "Where would you like to have it?"

Ace grinned again. "On my back!"

* * *

Five and a half years later, a few weeks after Ace's birthday, Ace stopped by Marco's place. Marco was still attending university, and Ace would start after the summer.

"Remember this?" Ace asked Marco, and handed him a piece of crumpled, folded up paper.

Curiously, Marco folded it open and started to laugh when he recognised the skull and crossbones. "You still have this?"

"I told you it would be my tattoo," Ace said with glistering eyes. "Okay, the tattoo artist had to tidy it up a bit, but…" He turned around and let his shirt slide off his back.

Marco gaped in awe as the tattoo was revealed, just as big as his own and maybe even bigger. He reached out, just as Ace had done five and a half years before, and stopped before he touched the skin. When Ace nodded in permission, Marco followed the outline of the tattoo with his finger.

Ace looked over his shoulder, grinning. "You were right, though," he said. "It hurt like hell!"


	24. ZoroxSanji Things you said at 1 am

Prompt: Zosan, things you said at 1 a.m., requested by sunshinesthroughtheclouds

* * *

"Fuck me!"

Sanji still hadn't fully registered the words. The first, said so many times followed by 'you', sure, he could have accepted that, and would have continued yelling at Zoro as they had been doing for the past hours.

It was 1 a.m. now and they were still going strong, until Zoro said what he said.

They had called each other every name in the book and then some, getting louder and louder after every obscenity, so he wasn't sure what Zoro had been thinking. It wasn't like he wouldn't _hear _what was screamed at his face.

Okay, to be fair, at this point he was more focused on thinking up a new way to insult Zoro than to listen what the bastard had to say. But this had been hard to miss.

Had it been a Freudian slip up, or had he meant to say it?

It was suddenly so quiet in the room. Sanji hadn't been able to utter anything since Zoro's words, his mind still not able to wrap around the whole thing.

Why?

Zoro was staring at him, the scowl disappeared from his face, but suddenly, a smirk broke through. "I win," he said simply.

"W-what?" was all that Sanji could ask.

"I win. You have been quiet for too long, so I win. I made you shut up, I didn't think that was possible!" The bastard actually started to laugh.

Sanji flushed a deep red, from anger or embarrassment he didn't know. "What?!" he screamed. "You sick, perverted…!" He was actually choking on his own words. "Screw you!" he finally managed to spit out. He suddenly felt so drained, and he was done looking at the bastard's face. With a force that most likely woke everyone up, he slammed the door of the kitchen shut.

Zoro looked at the closed door and sighed.

Yeah, that almost went well…


	25. IzoxSmoker No space between us

Prompt: Izo/Smoker: Things you said with no space between us, requested by Vergina-spva

* * *

"This is really tight," Izo said, his face pressed against the wall as he was sandwiched between that and a grumpy officer.

Frankly, this wasn't how he had planned out his day. He had woken up, made himself some breakfast as he drank his tea and read the paper, went for a walk, robbed a jewellery store…

Yeah, that was the point where things had gone wrong.

Okay, to be fair, most people would assume that was the point where things would go wrong, because not many things could go wrong while eating breakfast or going out for a stroll. Well, they _could_, but let's not get into that.

Anyway, Izo had pulled it off before. Enter a jewellery store, take the loot, and be out of there before the cops arrived. No mess, no stress.

Of course, he hadn't expected that an undercover cop would be manning the counter.

So Izo ran. Who wouldn't have?

But of course Mr Cop had felt the need to catch him, and had chased after him. Izo had hidden himself on a construction site, but the cop had sniffed him out like a police dog. So Izo had ran again, the cop on his heels.

For only a second, Izo had looked over his shoulder to see if had shaken off the cop, when he fell into a hole, which really shouldn't have been there. A moment after, the cop had come after him, whether he had fallen too or jumped, Izo didn't know. He seemed crazy enough to do the latter, anyway.

Because the cop was heavier, he fell a bit faster, but the hole became smaller the lower the got, until it was too small for them to fall through together, and they were stuck.

Izo couldn't say he was in a comfortable position, with his legs pointing up and his behind, pressed against another behind, pointing down.

"This is your fault," the cop said through gritted teeth.

"My fault? If you hadn't insisted on hunting me down, we wouldn't be in this mess," Izo countered.

"You tried to rob a jewellery store!" the cop all but shouted.

Izo rolled his eyes. "Let's just try to get out of here, shall we? Can't you call for backup?"

"No! I forgot my phone," the cop muttered slightly embarrassed.

"For the love of… Alright then," Izo pressed against the cop's back so he wasn't squished against the wall anymore, "hook your arms around mine and we can try to walk up against the wall."

"Ever heard of a thing called gravity?" the cop snapped.

"That's why you press your back against mine. I've seen this work in a movie once." He probably shouldn't add it was an animated movie.

The cop grouched something, but finally seemed to realise it was their only option. He hooked his arms around Izo's as instructed and used his legs to push against Izo's back.

Miraculously, it actually worked, and they managed to reach the top.

"Well then," Izo said as he dusted off his clothes, "it was nice meeting you." He made ready to leave.

"Hold up!"

Izo cursed under his breath and turned around. "What? You're gonna arrest me after our bonding exercise?"

The cop scratched the back of his head embarrassedly. "Well, you see… I'm not actually a cop. I actually own that jewellery store."

Not many things could catch Izo off guard, but this definitely did. "Oh. Well, are you gonna take me to the real cops then?"

"Actually," the not-really-a-cop cleared his throat almost shyly, "after our eh… exercise, perhaps you would be interested in having coffee with me?"


	26. IzoxSmoker Things I wasn't meant to hear

Prompt: Izo/Smoker: Things you said I wasn't meant to hear, requested by Vergina-spva

* * *

"Have you seen that ass on that waiter? I'd love to spank him for a bit," a sultry voice sounded in his ear.

Smoker froze and looked over his shoulder at the table where the voice had come from. There were two people sitting at the table, a girl with pink hair and a Lolita dress, and the most beautiful man he had ever seen.

The two obviously didn't know that their table was bugged, or that Smoker was an undercover cop wearing an earpiece.

Things hadn't been going according to plan. The police had wanted to catch two drug dealers while dining in the restaurant, but then the gorgeous man and the Lolita girl had sat down at the drug dealers' usual table. However, when the drug dealers tried to scare them away, the man had merely raised his eyebrow, and soon enough, the drug dealers had slunk off.

Smoker was impressed, to say the least. Still, he somehow had to switch the flowers, in which the microphone was hidden, out with the one on the drug dealer's table.

Yet, he had to know which waiter the man was talking about.

"If you say so. He looks rather uncute if you ask me," the pink haired girl said. "He keeps scowling. He'll have wrinkles in no time."

"Hm, perhaps, but I have my ways of making him stop frowning," the man said suggestively.

Smoker peered from where he was pouring someone wine. The man was looking at him and winked.

Smoker suddenly was pouring wine in someone's lap.

"Smoker, what the hell are you doing?" the voice of his boss suddenly sounded in his ear. "We're here to catch some bad guys, not listen to gossiping! Switch the flowers."

"Yes, sir," he muttered as he helped the customer clean up the wine. Fortunately, he was one of the undercover cops and a dick at that. Fullbody had never been Smoker's favourite.

Casually, Smoker moved to the table and took the flowers. "I have to water them."

The man looked at him with a smirk. "I bet you do."

Smoker felt his face heat up and quickly made his way over the drugs dealers were sitting at. "I have to water the plants," he repeated and switched out the flowers with the bugged ones.

When he passed the table with the beautiful man, said man touched his arm to get his attention. "Could we have the check, please?"

He nodded curtly, trying to keep his heartbeat under control, all the while trying to focus what their targets were saying.

He placed the bill on the table, keeping an eye on the drugs dealers. They were discussing their next sell, but they hadn't mentioned a location yet.

Smoker barely registered it when the gorgeous man and his companion left.

Fullbody was still trying to dry his suit, all the while cursing, and he had stood up while doing so. When he bent down a little, his gun became visible.

"Cops!" Smoker heard the drugs dealers hiss, and they made a run for it.

"Our cover is blown! I'm going after them," Smoker said, and started his chase.

He had barely cut the corner when he came to an abrupt stop, his mouth falling open.

There, the gorgeous man was standing, one foot on top of the two tied up drugs dealers, who were squirming on the ground. The pink haired girl was leaning against the wall, looking rather bored.

"I thought, I'd save you the trouble of the chase," the man said with his sultry voice. "It's not like you need the exercise anyway."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Would you stop the flirting and just ask him out already?"

The man shot her a glare, before the charming smile appeared back on his face when he looked at Smoker. "I left you my number on the receipt and I brought you a present. I think the least you could do is have a coffee with me later."

Smoker could only nod numbly as the gorgeous man and the girl walked off.


	27. KidxLaw When you thought I was asleep

Prompt: KidLaw: Things you said when you thought I was asleep, requested by Vergina-spva

* * *

Law looked at the sleeping figure of Kid, who was snoring like the pig he was. Sometimes, he wondered why they even bothered having this so-called arrangement. They fought and they fucked, and that was pretty much it.

Yet, it was something Law desperately wanted to keep. He didn't know why, but having Kid beside him in bed soothed him.

Somewhere along the way, he had fallen for this bastard.

The moment he had realised that, he had tried to put a stop to it. He had tried to walk away, not to answer Kid's calls, pushing him away, but somehow, they always ended up in bed together.

The attraction he felt to this ugly bastard was driving him insane. Kid knew like no one else to get under his skin, to drive him mad until he didn't know anymore if he wanted to strangle the red haired idiot or fuck him senseless. Usually, they ended up doing the latter.

Law was smart enough to realise Kid riled him up on purpose, though why, he wasn't sure. Probably because he liked the angry sex and the distance it brought. Law was never one for slow lovemaking, but he had to admit he had thought of having somewhat more of a relationship with Kid.

Sighing, he lied down next to the snoring bastard and closed his eyes. Seriously, how could anyone sleep with a circular saw next to them?!

Yet, Law felled he was lulled to sleep by the familiar sound.

He felt like he had only slept for a few minutes when he felt the bed move. Kid probably decided to call it a night and leave before Law woke.

Law couldn't suppress a sigh, but kept his eyes close. If the bastard wanted to leave so bad, he wouldn't stop him.

What he hadn't expected was fingers caressing through his hair and a soft chuckle. What the hell was Kid doing? Still, he was curious and kept pretending to be asleep.

"Y'know, ya wouldn't think you were the Surgeon of Death right now. You look kinda cute like this."

Law grit his teeth. Was Kid making fun of him? He was contemplating showing the bastard _why_ exactly he had gotten his epithet, but suddenly, Kid continued.

"I can safely assume you're asleep then, you'd have killed me already otherwise. Well, tried to, anyway." Kid sighed and continued caressing Law's hair, something Law found he wasn't opposed to.

"Shit," Kid muttered. "It _really _wasn't supposed to go like this, y'know? Who knew an annoying, sadistic bastard like you would grow on me?" Kid snorted. "I can't believe I've actually fallen for you."

A smirk grew on Law's face. Before Kid could react, Law was straddling him, pinning Kid down. Kid was obviously annoyed that Law had heard him, but Law didn't care.

He now knew that Kid was his.


	28. Shanks&Buggy Over the phone

Prompt: Shanks/Buggy: Things you said over the phone, requested by Vergina-spva

* * *

Shanks was a bit rusty when it came to dating, more so than he had imagined. He had dated quite a lot before he had met Marco, and they had only broken up recently after dating for five years, when they realised the spark was gone.

Perhaps it was a bit too early, but Shanks was ashamed to admit that he may have already had a tiny crush on Benn, who worked in his favourite bookstore – which not just his favourite because of Benn, mind you – before he had properly broken up with Marco, but he had never done anything about it. Also, he knew Marco had his eye on someone else as well, which was the decisive factor to break up.

All had gone well, and Benn had agreed to go out with him after what had to be the most embarrassing way of asking someone out. Shanks had stuttered, used the lamest pick-up lines ever, and, to cap it all, he had leaned against a stack of books, which had fallen over along with himself. In all, Shanks had no idea why Benn had agreed to go out with him, but here they were, dining in a fancy restaurant and sweating, or maybe that was just Shanks.

Shit, he was out of shape.

Benn, on the other hand, was charming as fuck, and once again, Shanks wondered why Benn had agreed to date a goofball like him.

However, as the evening passed, Shanks was starting to feel more at ease when he noticed that Benn genuinely liked him and wasn't just being polite. Maybe Shanks hadn't lost his touch.

As dessert was drawing near, Shanks started to wonder if he should take Benn home – or make sure he was invited into Benn's home, he didn't care either way. They had a great time, seemed to connect well, and on top of that, Benn was ridiculously hot. Shanks would love to tear off that tight fitting shirt and–

Well, let's not get into that.

He couldn't decide if it was too soon, so he excused himself to get some advice. Of course, he didn't tell Benn that, he needed to look smooth even if he had already ruined that before, but tonight he was.

He retreated to the men's room, swaying his hips a little more than necessary, and much to his delight, he saw in a mirror hanging on the restaurant's wall that Benn was following his movements with his eyes.

When he arrived in the men's room, however, and patted himself down, he realised that he had left his phone in his jacket. He slapped himself on the forehead. How was he supposed to call Yasopp now? Yasopp always had the answer for anything.

Fortunately, he knew his friend's number by heart, and he remembered seeing payphones next to the bathrooms.

He snuck outside again, peering around the corner to see if Benn was paying attention, but he seemed to be reading the menu.

Shanks dug up some change from his pocket – because that he had, but he didn't have his phone – and quickly dialled Yasopp's number.

When he heard the click of someone answering, he didn't take the time to greet his friend properly. "Oi, it's me. I'm on a date now with a really hot guy, and it's our first date, but I really want to take him home. You think I should?"

It stayed quiet on the other side of the line for a bit.

"Did you hear me? Do I take this guy to bed or not?" Shanks asked impatiently. He had turned his face to the wall, making himself as small as possible so that Benn wouldn't notice him, but he needed to hurry.

Finally, a voice sounded on the other end of the line. "Huh?"

Wait, did he dial right?

"Er, Yasopp?" he tried carefully.

"No," it sounded slowly on the other end of the line.

Shanks slapped against his forehead again. He really liked to mess up with this, didn't he?

No, he wouldn't let Benn slip through his fingers.

"So what do you think then?" he asked apparently at a stranger. He really was desperate. "Do I take him home or what?"

"Eh," the voice on the other end of the line said helpfully, "do _you_ think you should?"

"That's no help! I _want _to, of course I want to. You should see him, he's gorgeous." Shanks leaned against the wall and sighed as he stared at Benn.

"Well, then I guess you should," the voice said, sounding a little uncomfortable.

"Really? 'Cause it's our first date, and I just got out of a five year relationship. Don't you think it's too soon?"

"Then I guess you shouldn't," the stranger said.

"I don't want to ruin things by going to too fast." Shanks sighed and let himself slide down the wall. "Do you think I'm going too fast?"

"Eh," came the reply.

"Maybe I am doing the right thing by waiting, who knows," Shanks muttered.

"Who has a big red nose?!" the stranger suddenly shouted in his ear.

Shanks held the receiver away from his ear. "Er, I said 'who knows'."

He heard some muttering on the other end of the line.

"Anyway," Shanks continued the conversation, "what would you do?"

There was a silence at the other end of the line. Then the stranger suddenly started yelling. "What would I do? What would I do?! How about I wouldn't call a stranger and start asking them for advice! I wouldn't have an entire conversation on the phone while this dream date of mine is waiting! I would go see where the night would take me!"

Shanks was slightly taken aback to be hauled over coals like that, as the stranger still slightly panted from his rant. Then, a smile appeared on his face. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Huh?" the stranger said. "It's Buggy. But whaddaya want to know that for?"

Shanks smiled as he rose to his feet and looked at the table Benn was sitting. "Because I think I owe you a beer."


	29. MarcoxAce Lost pet (1)

Prompt: Marco/Ace, Ace finds Marco's lost pet. This leads to them meeting, requested by Ventusio

* * *

Mentally, Ace was checking to see if he had bought everything from his shopping list. There was meat, vegetables, meat, milk, fruit, meat…

Perhaps he shouldn't have taken Luffy's suggestions. Not that Ace was opposed to meat, though.

As he hoisted the paper bag higher on his arm, he suddenly heard a soft whine of a dog in pain. It appeared to be coming from the alley he was passing.

Ace squinted, but it was too dark to see. Carefully, he stepped into the alley.

On the ground, a white dog was lying. Well, Ace supposed he was white, because right now he was dark with mud and what Ace feared was blood. It also almost appeared as if the dog had a moustache.

The animal looked up when it saw Ace and growled.

"Hi there," Ace said softly. "It's okay, I can help." Cautiously, he stepped closer. "Are you in pain? You are, aren't you?" He could see the dog wasn't leaning on one of his hind legs.

The dog let out another growl in warning.

Ace reached into his grocery bag and tore open a packing of meat, holding it out to the dog slowly. The dog sniffed at it and started to eat.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Ace said softly.

The animal had devoured the meat in no time and licked at Ace's hand when he reached out. Ace petted him, and the dog let him.

Ace reached for the leg that appeared to be painful, talking in a soothing tone when the dog growled again. "It's okay. I can help." There was a nasty cut in the leg. Ace wondered if the dog had been fighting.

Well, it was a good thing he had a brother studying to be a vet.

"Can you walk?" he asked the dog. "You're a bit big to carry." He tore open another package of meat and fed a bit to the dog. "Come, I'll make sure you'll get better."

Much to his joy, the dog followed him, though he limped a little.

Ace's home was fortunately close by. Luffy almost threw himself on the dog in excitement, but stopped when Ace said it was hurt.

They first cleaned the dog in the shower, causing the whole bathroom to become wet, and afterwards, Sabo looked at the cut.

"It's not as bad as it appeared at first," he said in relief. "I'll put a bandage on it."

"Do you think this is someone's dog?" Ace asked.

"I'd think so. He has a collar." Sabo looked at the label. "His name is Stefan. There's no address, though."

"Well, they can't be very good owners, now can they?" Ace huffed as he scratched Stefan behind his ear.

"You don't know that. He seems to be well fed. Maybe he ran off chasing a cat or something," Sabo suggested, "and then got hurt."

Ace huffed again.

"Can we keep him?" Luffy asked in a whiney voice. "Please? He's so cool! He has a moustache."

"First we should try to find the owners," Sabo said strictly.

Both Ace and Luffy pouted.

* * *

Over the next two days, Ace and Luffy hang up flyers to announce that they had found a dog named Stefan, though they didn't put a photo up. Ace caught Luffy hanging them where no one would see them and reprimanded him, but he could understand it.

Stefan was a great dog. He was well trained and affectionate. Ace couldn't say he would mind if the owner never showed up.

Unfortunately, someone called his number, which was printed on the flyer.

"I saw your flyer. You've found my dog?" The man on the other end of the line sounded relieved.

Ace ignored the fact that he had a very nice voice. "I don't know," he said haughtily. "We found _a_ dog. How do I know it's yours?"

The man hummed. "Well, he's big, about the size of a small pony, and white. Plus, he looks like he has a moustache."

Ace pouted. That sounded a bit too accurate. "Well, I guess he's yours then." He didn't even try to hide his disappointment. "You can pick him up tonight if you want." He gave the man his address.

* * *

That evening, they were all sitting on the couch pouting, even Sabo. They had all grown attached to Stefan.

Stefan seemed to sense the mood and tried to cheer them up by licking their faces.

Way too soon for Ace's taste, the doorbell rang.

"Let's pretend we're not home!" Luffy said as he wrapped his arms around Stefan possessively.

"He's not ours, Lu," Sabo said with a sigh.

"But…" Luffy's bottom lip started to quiver.

The doorbell rang again.

"I'll get it," Ace said sighing, and with his shoulders slumped, he opened the door.

On the doorstep, a gorgeous man was standing, smiling as he saw Ace. "Hi, I'm here for Stefan."

Before Ace could reply, Stefan bolted into the hallway and jumped the man, uncaring that he trampled Ace along the way, and started licking the stranger's face. The man was obviously used to be jumped like that, because he barely staggered as he braced himself.

"Good boy," he said laughing. "Are you okay, though?" he asked Ace worriedly, as Ace scrambled to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess there's really no doubt you're his owner," he muttered.

"Thank you for taking care of him," the stranger said with a smile. "I'm Marco." He held out his hand.

"Ace. Would you like to come in for a bit? My brothers grown attached to Stefan, so they'd like to say goodbye," he suggested.

Marco smiled again, causing Ace's heart to flutter somehow. "Of course."


	30. MarcoxAce Lost pet (2)

MarcoAce

A continuation of the previous chapter for MyLadyDay, who wanted to know what happened to Stefan, and for Lunarshores, who wanted purple potatoes.

* * *

Marco hadn't expected his host to be so attractive, but he couldn't say he minded. When Ace had invited him in, he was eager to accept, even though the invitation wasn't for the reasons he might wish. Though, he was happy Ace and his apparent brothers seemed to care about Stefan.

Also, following Ace inside gave him a pleasant view.

Ace's brothers were introduced as Sabo, who was apparently studying to become a vet, and Luffy.

"You can't have him!" Luffy called in greeting, wrapping his arms around Stefan's neck possessively. Stefan allowed him. "Finders keepers!"

"It doesn't work like that, Lu," Ace said with a sigh.

"Why not? Stefan ran off, so he obviously doesn't want to be with him," Luffy said pouting.

"He didn't run off, though." Marco retrieved an article from the paper from his jacket. "There's someone stealing dogs."

"Stealing dogs?" Sabo asked confusedly and took the article from Marco. "Did you see him being taken?"

"I saw a car drive off. I didn't catch the licence plate, though." Marco sighed and ruffled Stefan behind his ears. "I thought I lost him."

"_We_ didn't take him!" Ace said defensively. "I found him in an alley. He looked as if he had fought, and he had a cut in his leg."

Marco smiled. "I didn't think you would hang up flyers if you did."

"We could have," Sabo said musing.

"Sabo!" Ace exclaimed.

Sabo shrugged. "I'm just saying. We could have kidnapped… er, dognapped him for reward money. I'm not saying we _did_."

Ace rolled his eyes and turned to Marco. "We didn't take him. None of us even has a car. And we didn't do it for a reward either."

"We wouldn't mind if you gave us one though," Sabo added.

"I like meat," Luffy said with a grin.

"Guys, will you just shut up!" Ace hissed. He was obviously embarrassed. He then turned to Marco again. "Don't mind them. Just… It would be nice if we could see Stefan again sometime."

Marco smiled. "Of course. I don't live that far from here. If Stefan was abducted, he must have fought his kidnapper off and escaped before they got far. Where did you find him?"

"In an alley near the supermarket," Ace said.

"Well, I can't thank you enough for bringing him back." Marco smiled again.

"How about you stay for dinner," Sabo suddenly suggested. "Then Stefan can stay a little longer. We're having purple potatoes."

"And meat," Luffy said with glistening eyes.

"You're not vegetarian, are you?" Ace added worriedly.

Apparently, it was already decided that he would have dinner with them. Not that he had been planning to refuse, though. He'd love to get to know Ace better.

However, Stefan seemed to have other plans as he whined and pulled at Marco's sleeve with his teeth.

"It seems that he wants to go outside," Marco said.

"Why don't you go with him, Ace?" Sabo suggested.

Marco was pleased to see that Ace flushed slightly.

"Yeah! Make sure he doesn't run off with Stefan!" Luffy added.

"It's his dog, he can run wherever he wants," Ace muttered.

"I wouldn't mind the company," Marco said with a smile.

Ace didn't reply, but still got his coat, and Marco followed him outside.

They walked in silence as Stefan ran excitedly ahead of them.

"So, you really think there's someone stealing dogs?" Ace asked eventually.

Marco shrugged. "All I know is what it said in the paper. Stefan is not the type of dog to just run off… I did see a car speed away, but it could have just been a coincidence. I'm reluctant to let him out of my sight again, though. I'm still not sure what to do when I go to work tomorrow."

"We could watch him," Ace blurted out, seemingly surprising himself, but he wasn't going to back out. "Lu isn't working at the moment. You can't trust him with much, but dogs are an exception. And Sabo and I are usually home before dinner." He flushed slightly. "I mean, if you want to."

Marco smiled at him again. "I'm sure Stefan would be happy to see you more often."

And Stefan wasn't the only one.


	31. MarcoxAce Reunion

"Marco?"

Marco looked up from comparing pineapples in the supermarket and turned around when he heard his name. Behind him, a man was standing, with dark hair and a freckled face.

Marco smirked. It only took him a second to recognise him. "You haven't changed a bit, Ace."

"I should hope I have." Ace pouted slightly, making him look even more like the boy Marco remembered, but then he smiled again. "But look at you! How long has it been?"

"About nine years, I guess." Marco was twenty-seven now, and he had been eighteen when he left secondary school. Ace was two years younger than him.

"Wow," Ace said with a sigh, "time really flies, huh? You look great, though."

Marco smiled. "So do you." Ace had obviously started working out, because he was more muscular than Marco remembered.

"Would you have time to have a cup of coffee, to catch up?" Ace looked at Marco's hands. "When you're done with your pineapples, of course." A shit-eating grin appeared on his face. "Do you remember, pineapple boy?"

"Don't remind me," Marco growled, as he put one of the fruits back. In secondary school, there had been this stupid joke that his hair looked like a pineapple. Which was ridiculous.

"Don't be like that. Come on, one cup," Ace insisted.

Marco smiled. "Alright." He followed Ace to the register and started unloading his groceries.

In secondary school, he and Ace had been good friends, though their contact faded after Marco graduated. He was busy with his studies, and time flew by before he knew it. Now that he had his life a bit in order, he wondered sometimes about what happened to his old friends. Some, he had managed to stay in touch with, like Thatch and Izo, but Ace had disappeared completely from his life. He regretted letting him get away. He had always adored Ace.

So he was actually glad about this coincidence, and that Ace had invited him for coffee. Ace had never been the shy type, though.

With their groceries, they made their way to the nearest coffeehouse, while Ace told stories from what happened in secondary school after Marco's graduation, and then moved on to what he had done after secondary school. Marco, in turn, told about his life.

They were already working on their third cup of coffee when they ran out of stories to tell. Marco realised how much he had missed Ace, his enthusiasm and his temper, and he smiled softly.

Ace poured a ridiculous amount of sugar in his coffee, and stirring, he leaned on his hand as he smiled at Marco. "You know, I had a major crush on you in school."

"I kinda did know," Marco said, smiling.

Ace's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Well, that's embarrassing."

"You shouldn't be embarrassed," Marco said. "I thought it was adorable."

Ace puffed his cheeks and muttered something under his breath about not being cute.

Marco laughed and tapped his hand playfully.

"I was gonna confess to you," Ace continued with a sigh. "When you were about to graduate. But then you suddenly had that girlfriend. What's her name?"

"Whitey."

"Yeah, that's right." Ace leaned with his head on his hand.

"I felt bad about it, but it just sorta happened," Marco explained. "I'm sorry if I hurt you." He placed a hand on Ace's arm.

Ace shook his head with a smile. "It's okay. I never expected you to return my feelings. I just… wanted you to know. I always regretted not telling you. Though I had no idea you already knew."

"I wouldn't have returned them… back then," Marco said, and took a sip from his coffee as he waited for the information to sink in.

"Back then?" Ace's eyes widened again. "You mean you're…?"

Marco smirked. "I discovered quite a lot about myself during my studies."

"O-oh." Ace fell silent for a bit. "Are you seeing anyone, then?"

Marco shook his head. "Not right now. You?"

"Me neither."

A silence fell as they both drank from their coffee.

Finally, Ace put down his cup. "Would it be totally inappropriate if I asked you out?"

Marco hummed as he pretended to think. "Kinda. But is that gonna stop you?"

The smirk on Ace's face almost split his face in half.

* * *

Marco ended up walking Ace home, after spending the rest of the day together. It turned out he actually lived quite close to Marco.

At the door, Marco asked, "Can I kiss you?"

Ace smirked. "You could do that since secondary school~"


	32. ShanksxBuggy Snowball

Prompt: ShanksBuggy "Don't you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!", requested by Vergina-spva

* * *

"Don't you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!" Furiously, Buggy wiped the snow out of his face and glared at the doubled over Shanks. "That's not funny!"

They had moored at a winter island, and while the rest of the crew was busy with their chores, Shanks was having a little too much fun with the snow. Buggy, on the other hand, hated cold.

"Hey, it's not like your nose wasn't red already," Shanks hiccupped, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"WHO HAS A BIG RED NOSE?!"

Shanks was still laughing when Buggy tackled him and threw him into the snow, even when Buggy started rubbing snow in his face.

However, while Buggy was caught up in his revenge mission, Shanks managed to flip them over, grinning down at Buggy, who blinked up at him confusedly.

Shanks' hands were placed on either side of his head, and Buggy eyed his arms to see if there was a way out. He was sure Shanks would bury him in the snow or at least throw snow in his face, but he hadn't expected Shanks to lean in and kiss him briefly on the nose – which wasn't big and red, thank you very much.

Shanks pulled back with a grin, his head cocked slightly to the side. "It's cold, though. Maybe we should cuddle to stay warm."

His face bright red, Buggy shoved Shanks off him and stalked off without looking back, not even when Shanks called after him, "I'll make a snowman looking like you! Guess what I'll be using for the nose?"


	33. ZeffxKureha I thought you were dead

Prompt: Zeff/Kureha "I thought you were dead.", requested by Ventusio

* * *

"I thought you were dead."

The remark came casually, bored even, and the doctor didn't bother to look up from the chart when Zeff opened his eyes, blinking against the light.

He didn't know how he got here, in the hospital, as the last thing he remembered was lying in the icy water of the ocean.

The doctor put down the chart and started to examine him. "When you first came in, that is. I've been a doctor long enough to tell when someone is alive, though." She pulled his eyelids apart and shone a bright light into it. "You were lucky you didn't bleed out when you lost your leg. Or drown."

Zeff barely registered her words and sat up, suddenly remembering something. "The eggplant!"

"You're worried about vegetables?" the doctor asked with a raised eyebrow, but continued her examination anyway.

"No!" Zeff rubbed his temples, memories slowly starting to come back. Their ship had gotten stuck in a storm. There weren't any lifeboats available anymore when he had found the boy, alone and scared, while the ship was sinking.

A sudden wave had hit the deck, and the boy was cast overboard. Zeff had jumped after him, but his leg had caught in something, and he had to cut it off in order not to drown. He had managed to save the boy, but after that, he remembered little, much less how he gotten in this hospital.

"You mean the boy? He is fine. Better off than you, anyway." She huffed and filled a syringe with something or another, muttering something about reckless behaviour.

Zeff smiled, however, even as the needle sunk into his arm, and made himself comfortable in the hospital bed. As long as the little eggplant was safe, he didn't mind this doctor manhandling him.


	34. MarcoxAce Hey, have you seen the?

Prompt: MarcoAce, "Hey, have you seen the..? Oh.", requested by anon

* * *

"Hey Haruta, have you seen the..? Oh."

The man who had just entered the room, wearing nothing but boxers, his hair dishevelled like he just got out of bed, stopped talking when he saw Ace sitting on the couch, next to Haruta.

"Marco, dammit, put on something decent!" Haruta snapped and threw a couch pillow at his head.

Marco grinned. "Sorry, didn't know you had company. I'm Marco, by the way." He held out his hand to Ace.

"Ace," Ace managed to bring out once he managed to stop staring at him.

"My little brother never lets me meet his friends. It's like he thinks I'll embarrass him of something," Marco added with a grin.

"Will you just go!" Haruta held up a pillow threateningly and started to chase the laughing Marco out of the living room.

After that, Haruta sat back down on the couch with a sigh. "Don't mind my stupid brother. See, this is why I never invite you over, not until I have my own place, anyway. Too many brothers to embarrass me."

Ace hummed, but in reality, he wasn't really listening. He was thinking about Marco, with his washboard abs and his nice smile, his gorgeous eyes.

Fuck, he shouldn't be crushing on his friend's brother. He had known that Haruta had many brothers, though, as the youngest, Haruta was the only one still permanently living at home, even though he was already going to university with Ace. The other brothers spent the night every once in a while at their father's house, which was why he and Haruta usually studied in the library. Ace was living with Sabo and Luffy, which meant they didn't have much peace and quiet there either.

"I thought no one would be home when I invited you," Haruta said, sighing, "but then Marco suddenly arrived late last night."

"So, is he going to university as well?" Ace asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Hm? No, he graduated a while back. He's looking for work now. Why?"

"No reason." Ace took a sip from his drink, continuing drinking as Haruta's look became suspicious, until his glass was empty and he didn't have an excuse anymore and had to put his glass down. "Shouldn't we be studying? That's why I'm here," he hastily said and hid himself behind his textbook, because he knew his face was red.

"Oh my God," Haruta said, a grin splitting his face in half. "You like my brother."

"What?" Ace all but shrieked. "No, I don't. We have to study chapter seven, right?"

"You so are. Marco!" Haruta suddenly yelled and started to run towards the stairs.

"Don't you dare!" Ace threw his textbook to the side and set off in pursuit. "Haruta!"

He managed to catch up with him on top of the stairs and tackled him, placing a hand over his mouth.

A door opened, and Marco appeared again, a surprised look on his face. He was wearing shorts this time, though the shirt he was wearing was still unbuttoned.

"Eh, hello," Ace said with a sheepish grin, still lying on top of Haruta and trying to ignore Haruta's tongue licking his hand.

"Hi," Marco said with a grin as he leaned against the doorframe.

"We were just," Ace started, but Haruta managed to pull his hand away.

"Ace thinks you're–mhpf!"

Fortunately, Ace managed to place his hand over Haruta's mouth again before he could finish that sentence. He smiled at Marco again in what he hoped was a charming way.

"Well," Marco said as he stepped over them to reach the stairs, "I think he's very 'mhpf' as well."

As he descended the stairs, Ace could only stare after him, wide-eyed. He didn't even notice Harura managed to wiggle out from under him, snickering with laughter.

"Come on, the material isn't gonna learn itself," he said as he rose, and Ace nodded. "I first have to pee, though."

Haruta hastened himself to the bathroom, and Ace started to descent the stairs. From the kitchen, he could hear sounds, and hesitantly, he made his way over.

Marco was busy making coffee.

"H-hey," Ace said.

Marco turned around and smiled at him, his shirt still unbuttoned.

Ace swallowed, trying not to drool over his abs, and forced himself to look up. "Listen, Haruta was just messing with me. I don't think… Well, I mean, you are hot, but–" He stopped abruptly, realising what he had said and pulled at the collar of his shirt that he didn't really want to wear. "Is it hot in here?"

"I think it's just you," Marco said with a smirk.

"Real smooth, bro," Haruta's voice came sarcastically from behind them. "Come on, Ace, time to study."

Ace let himself be pulled along, looking over his shoulder one more time and wondering how someone could make making coffee look hot.


	35. MarcoxAce If you keep looking like that

Prompt: MarcoAce "If you keep looking at me like that we won't make it to a bed.", requested by anon

* * *

Ace felt his back pressing up against the door, while Marco continued kissing him passionately. They had just gotten back from another wonderful date, and Marco had driven him home, when their goodbye kiss turned into a passionate make out session.

Marco's lips moved from his mouth to his neck, and Ace sighed happily as he leaned with his head the other way to give him access. He hadn't known Marco that long, but they had immediately hit it off and every date had been a success. Marco wasn't even grossed out by Ace's manner of eating.

Marco kissed his lips one more time before pulling back. His lips were swollen, just like Ace's, no doubt, and he moaned softly. "If you keep looking at me like that we won't make it to a bed."

Despite his state, hot and bothered, Ace chuckled. "If you wanted to do _that_, you shouldn't have brought me home."

Confused, Marco tilted his head. "How come?"

Ace pulled him close by the lapel of his jacket. "Why do you think we always have sex at your place?"

"We haven't had sex that often, so I didn't notice," Marco protested. "So what's wrong with your house?"

As if on cue, the door was opened by Ace's smirking brothers.

"And I present, the world's most effective cockblockers," Ace mumbled, before scowling at them. "What are you doing here?"

Sabo shrugged. "We heard talking, so we figured Marco had brought you home. And since you always conveniently leave with him when we're not home – something I don't think is coincidental," Ace smiled sheepishly, "we finally wanted to meet him."

"Yeah, Ace, you never let us see him," Luffy added, pouting.

"And you've been going out for over a month already," Sabo continued. "So we wanna meet him."

Before either Ace or Marco could protest, Marco was dragged inside and was submitted for Sabo's and Luffy's approval.


	36. MarcoxAce Wanna dance?

Prompt: MarcoAce - "Wanna dance?", requested by captain-yue-raccoon

This summer, I went to a congress for medievalists (people who study the middle ages, such as myself). There were papers from Monday to Thursday morning, and on Wednesday evening there was a dance, dubbed "the Dancing Bibliography", because quite respectable scholars went all out there XD

The story takes place at a similar congress

* * *

"And this concludes my presentation for today," Marco said.

Applause arose before the session moderator announced it was time for questions.

Ace had been listening so intensely to the way Marco replied to the questions that he almost yelped when Sabo elbowed him in the ribs.

"Are you gonna ask him something?" he whispered.

Neither Sabo or Luffy were medievalists, but they had decided to come to the congress with Ace nonetheless. Luffy didn't have enough concentration to sit through an entire session, so they let him run wild. Sabo alternated between accompanying Ace to sessions, going to a few on his own, and babysitting Luffy.

"Shh, I'm trying to listen," Ace whispered back, but he could feel the tips of his ears turn red.

"Yeah, it would be inappropriate to ask him out now," Sabo said with a smirk.

"Shut up!" Ace elbowed him back. "He was very clear, is all."

Sabo rolled his eyes. "Are you at least gonna talk to him afterwards?"

"M-maybe. If he is not too busy."

"How did you pass your exam if you were crushing on your teacher this bad?" Sabo asked with a sigh.

"'Cause, he's a great teacher. And he's not my teacher anymore. I'm as good as graduated," Ace hissed back.

Sabo huffed, but didn't reply.

When the session time was up, Ace and Sabo started to pack their things. It was lunch time, so they had to hurry and meet Luffy at the tent where they could pick up their food. Ace was taking his time, though, because as he had feared, several people attending the paper were flocking around Marco.

Marco had taught several of the classes Ace had taken, but he didn't know Ace was at the congress as well, as far as Ace knew. He had given his own presentation on the first day, but unfortunately at a time when most people were still traveling. Marco hadn't shown up either, but Ace was sure he would have if he had known or could have.

Ace had been dying to attend Marco's paper, not just because the subject was interesting, but also because he hoped to talk to him again. Sabo was right, he had a crush on Marco for a while already, even when he was Ace's teacher, but now he wasn't anymore, and with his graduation coming up, Ace feared this was the last time he might see Marco.

"Are you going or what?" Sabo asked him impatiently.

"There are a lot of people who want to ask him something. It doesn't look like he has time," Ace said bitterly.

"I don't know, he might," Sabo said with a smirk.

Ace looked up confusedly, when he heard a voice say, "Ace?"

Fuck, he hadn't prepared for this. Nonetheless, Ace turned around. "Hey Marco."

"I didn't know you would be here," Marco said with a smile.

"Yeah, I had a presentation as well. On Monday morning," he clarified.

"Too bad I wasn't here yet. I'd have loved to see it." Marco smiled.

Ace smiled back, until Sabo cleared his throat.

"We really have to go, unless you want Luffy going on a rampage."

Ace sighed. "Right." Then his face brightened. "You could join us for lunch if you want," he said to Marco.

"I'd love to, but I have a meeting," Marco replied.

Ace tried not to look too crestfallen. "Okay. Ehm, so, are you going to the dance tonight?"

Marco smiled. "Yeah. Even if I didn't want to, my friends would drag me there. And it's kinda fun. Have you been here before?"

Ace shook his head.

"Then you're in for a treat," Marco said with a smirk. "I'll see you tonight, then?"

Ace nodded eagerly and ignored Sabo's smirk.

* * *

"So are you gonna go to him or what?" Sabo asked impatiently that night.

They had arrived a while earlier, and Ace already had several beers. He had spotted Marco soon enough, but decided he needed some liquid courage.

"I'll go when I'm ready," Ace muttered and took another sip.

"Do you want me to go talk to him?" Luffy asked while twirling around on a bar seat.

"No!"

"But I'm bored," Luffy whined.

"Go dance or something," Ace snapped nervously.

Sabo sighed. "Look, we came with you for moral support, and I've been entertaining Lu all week so you can get in this guy's pants. The least you can do it try to make that happen."

"Okay, but–" Ace didn't get a change to finish his protest, because Sabo and Luffy had already pushed him towards Marco.

Reluctantly, he stepped up to him. Marco was talking with two other people who looked vaguely familiar to Ace.

"Hi Marco," he said, his voice barely audible over the music.

Marco turned around, and his face brightened. "I was starting to think you changed your mind."

Ace smiled, and his heart skipped a beat when Marco wrapped an arm around him to introduce him to his colleagues.

"This is Ace, one of my former students. Ace, this is Thatch and that's Izo."

"Hi," Ace said, turning to Izo. "I've been to your presentation. It was really interesting."

Izo smiled, but Thatch said mock-indignantly, "What, you haven't been to mine?"

"Well, I–" Ace started, but Thatch's started to laugh.

"I'm kidding. There are so many papers. It's your first time here, isn't it?"

Ace nodded.

"It can be quite overwhelming. Well, I'm gonna get some more beer. You want some too?"

"I still have beer," Marco said and showed his half-empty glass.

"I think I have had enough," Ace said sheepishly.

"I'll join you," Izo said as he followed Thatch through the crowd, turning his head and winking at Ace.

Now that their company was gone, Ace started to get nervous again. He looked at where he left Sabo and Luffy, but didn't see them anymore. Until he noticed Luffy, seemingly stuck with his head in a bin, if Sabo trying to pull him out was anything to go by. Ace sighed and was about to go help, when Sabo saw him and gestured he had everything under control.

Sabo had done a lot for him this week, so the least he could do was dial up his flirting a little. If Marco wasn't interested, he would find out soon enough.

"Hey, wanna dance?" he asked.

Marco emptied his glass and placed it on a table. "Sure."

Felling quite giddy, even more so when Marco grabbed his hand not to lose him in the crowd, Ace led them onto the dance floor.

It became more and more crowded as time passed, and Ace was pushed closer and closer to Marco – not that he minded.

They were almost body to body when Marco leaned in and yelled in his ear – to be heard over the music, "It's too bad I missed your paper. You think you can maybe give me a private presentation sometime?"


	37. MarcoxAce Jealous

Prompt: Marcoace "Wait a minute. Are you jealous?", requested by anon

* * *

It wasn't that Izo was a meddler. Far from it. It was just that Marco and Ace had insisted they were "just friends" for a very long time – yeah, right – and that they didn't want to "tear each other's clothes off – sure.

But tonight, _finally_, with a little help and encouragement from Izo – like, dressing them up and forcing them into a car – they had gone on their first date. Now they were back home, and after all Izo's work and days of frustration, it was only fair he knew what was going on.

Marco and Ace had immediately gone to Marco's room, which was a good sign. And Izo just happened to be standing near the door, with his ear pressed against the wood. Total coincidence.

"Wait a minute. Are you jealous?" he could hear Marco ask.

Haruta and Thatch passed by in the hallway, but they knew better than to ask Izo what he was doing and merely shrugged.

"Of course I'm jealous. Yours is way bigger than mine!" Ace said with a whiny voice.

Izo let out a silent gasp. Would they be…?

"I don't think it's _way_ bigger," Marco protested.

"It so is!"

"They come in different sizes, that's just the way it is," Marco continued. "You can have a taste of mine."

Wide-eyed, Izo pressed himself harder against the door. This date had gone better than he expected.

"I don't think it'll fit into my mouth," Ace said.

"You don't have to put it all in. You can just lick it." There was a moment of silence. "You like it?"

"Meh, I've had better."

Izo almost facepalmed. Really, Ace? That didn't sound like something you should say the first time. Dammit, Izo had really hoped that they would work out.

"Maybe you should try again."

Izo sighed in relief. Of course Marco wouldn't let one small comment ruin everything. But Ace really had to step up his game.

"Dammit, Ace, don't bite!"

Okay, now they went too far. Izo threw open the door, looking outraged. "That's it! I'm rooting for you guys, but you really have to dial down the kinky stuff, because…" His voice trailed off when he saw Marco and Ace sitting on Marco's bed, fully dressed, and Ace was chewing on something hard.

"Kinky?" Marco asked. "We went to the travelling funfair, like you forced us to, and bought some stick candy." He held up his, part of the top bitten off.

Ace started laughing, clutching at his stomach. "You thought I was biting Marco's–"

"I did no such thing!" Izo called out, trying to sound indignantly, but in reality, he was glad he was wearing make-up, so they couldn't see his bright red cheeks. "I knew what you were talking about. I just wanted to see how your date went."

"It went very well," Marco said with a smile and rose from the bed. "We brought one for you too, as a thank you." He held out a bright pink stick candy, which Izo took stunned.

"Just keep it away from Ace," Marco said with a wink, "or else he might bite in it."


	38. MarcoxAce Massage

Prompt: MarcoAce "Do you…well…I mean…I could give you a massage?", requested by Lunarshores

* * *

The clock ticked away the seconds, sounding loud in the silent room, and Ace glanced at Marco, who was sitting next to him in the couch.

Marco coughed, and his eyes darted to the clock. "They're certainly late, aren't they?" he finally broke the silence.

"Y-yeah," Ace replied. "They said seven, right?"

Marco took out his phone. "The text says indeed seven."

"Right."

It became silent again. Ace's ankle rested on his other knee, moving his foot up and down nervously. Thatch and Izo had told him to be at their friend's house at seven, because, apparently, this Marco needed some help moving stuff, after which Ace would go out with Thatch and Izo.

Ace wasn't sure why he had agreed to help to move stuff from a stranger – okay, he did, as there had been food promised. But it was half past seven already, and there was still no sign of Thatch or Izo.

The past half hour Ace had sat in awkward silence with this stranger, who wasn't hard to look at, if he was honest. Still, every time he wanted to strike up a conversation, his mind went blank.

"I could try to call them," Marco suggested.

"Yeah."

Marco took out his phone again and dialled a number. After a few seconds, however, he sighed. "Voicemail. I'll try Izo then."

When Izo didn't pick up either, he put away his phone.

"You think we should be worried?" Ace asked.

"I doubt it." Marco rubbed the back of his neck. "How long have you known them?"

"A while," Ace asked, surprised. "Why?"

"They've never tried to set you up with someone before?"

Ace whipped his head around so fast he feared it might fall off. "What?"

Marco raised up his hands in defence. "It's just something they would do. Why else would they coax you into help someone you don't even know into moving their furniture?"

"I don't know," Ace muttered.

"Look," Marco turned to face Ace, "I seriously doubt they're gonna show up, so you can leave if you want."

Ace pursed his lips as he thought for a moment. "Well, I did promise I would help you. In exchange for food, that is."

Marco laughed, and Ace decided he liked his laugh. "Alright. How about we order some pizza and move the furniture until it gets here?"

"Sounds good," Ace said with a grin.

After Marco had called the pizzeria and made their order, Ace rose from the couch. "Okay, what needs to be done?"

"I wanted to switch the couch with the bookcase over there," Marco pointed. The books had already been neatly stacked next to the case, so Ace only had to lift it.

They moved the couch out of the way and carefully lifted the bookcase. It was heavier than Ace had expected, as it was made from oak wood. They had almost made it to the other side of the room, when Marco suddenly gasped and grabbed at his back. Ace could barely catch the bookcase before it would tilt over.

"What's the matter? Did you do your back in, old man?" he couldn't help but tease.

Marco shot him a glare. "I just pulled a muscle I think."

Ace helped him to the couch that was still standing in the middle of the room. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine. This would be awkward if this was a real date," Marco said jokingly as he rubbed his back.

Ace laughed nervously, before they fell into silence again. Ace crushed himself for not knowing what to say. When they didn't think about it, their conversation had started naturally.

"Do you… well… I mean… I could give you a massage?" he suddenly blurted out.

Marco looked up in surprise. "Are you serious?"

Ace scratched the back of his head, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Well, I mean, I can't leave you like this, and it'll be a while before the food gets here, so…"

"Ehm, sure then. I guess." Marco turned his back to Ace, wincing slightly.

Ace hadn't actually expected him to agree, but now that he had, he couldn't really back out – not that he wanted to. Carefully, he applied pressure on different places on Marco's back. "Here?"

"A little lower… Yeah, there!"

Ace massaged the spot for a while when he said, "Maybe it would be better if you took your shirt off."

"Wouldn't that be weird?" Marco asked.

Ace shrugged. "If it helps, I can take my shirt off too. I don't like shirts anyway."

"That's not really necesse–" Marco stopped talking when Ace suited the action to the word and pulled his t-shirt over his head. He had only worn it because he was meeting a stranger anyway.

Marco stared at him for a second, his eyes roaming Ace's body.

Ace smirked. "Like what you see?" he asked teasingly.

Marco mirrored his expression, as he started to unbutton his own shirt. "If this was a date, I think it would be going very well."

He sighed happily when Ace started to massage his back again.

Somehow, not wearing a shirt brought Ace's confidence back – perhaps it was the way Marco has stared at him, or the fact that Marco looked very nice without a shirt as well. "So," he started, "maybe this isn't a real date, but would you be interested in going out with me sometime?"

Marco turned around to face him, a smile playing around his lips. "I would like that very much."

Ace grinned and leaned in, feeling pleased when Marco closed the distance between them.

"Sorry we're late. Thatch and I were–" Izo stopped talking when he saw his two friends sitting shirtless on the couch, making out.

Marco and Ace hastily let go of each other.

"Izo!" Marco said, surprised. "I thought you weren't coming anymore."

Izo raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't we come? We agreed to meet here, didn't we?"

"You… weren't trying to set us up?" Marco stammered.

"No. But that's a brilliant idea! Thatch, did you hear that?" Izo called over his shoulder into the hallway.

Thatch grinned as he stood next to Izo in the doorway, wrapping an arm around him. "Seems like your matchmaking skills are so good that you can set people up even before you get the idea."


	39. ShanksxBenn Detective AU (1)

Prompt: Shanksbenn "Hey, I'm with you, okay? Always.", requested by Arzani92

* * *

Benn rolled his eyes when cameras flashed in his face the moment he stepped out of the house. His colleagues in uniform tried to keep the journalists away, but Benn still had to go through them to get to his car.

Several microphones were shoved under his nose as soon as he stepped underneath the crime scene tape.

"What can you tell us about the theft?"

"How much was stolen?"

"Has the same thief struck again?"

"No comment," Benn grouched and pushed them aside. He was surprised not to find a certain red haired reporter amongst the other journalists. Usually, he was the first to ask questions and the most persistent of the lot.

Most of the journalists and reporters gave up soon enough, and finally, they had all slunk away. Nonetheless, Benn was glad to make it to his car.

He was less pleased the red haired reporter, Shanks, was leaning against his vehicle, a smirk on his face.

"I'm not telling you anything," Benn grouched. "Now get your ass of my car."

"You sure you don't want to share, detective?" Shanks asked, his smirk never wavering, but he did stop leaning against Benn's car.

"You know the drill. An official statement will be made and you can ask all the questions you like then."

"I don't want to talk to a spokesman. You never make such announcements, and I want to talk to you," Shanks replied.

"I don't like cameras," Benn grouched.

"I don't have one."

Benn pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can't you just disappear?"

Shanks grinned again. "Hey, I'm with you, okay? Always."

Benn sighed. "I don't remember asking for that. Just get lost, alright? I haven't slept in two days and I'd like to go home now."

"Home alone, you mean?"

"At least I have some peace and quiet there," Benn muttered.

"I don't think what you do is healthy," Shanks stated.

"I don't care what you think."

Shanks shook his head with a smile. "You're a bit of a cliché, aren't you? Grumpy detective, married to the job, no friends outside of work… I'm really the only non-cop you interact with on a regular basis. Correct me if I'm wrong."

Benn pushed him aside as he stepped into the car. "You're wrong," he said, before closing the door and driving away.

Shanks huffed and called after him, "I said _correct_ me!"

* * *

Benn was filling out the paperwork when the phone rang. The desk clerk told him that someone from another unit needed to speak to him, so he told him to put them through.

"Good morning," Shanks' voice sounded cheerfully.

Benn groaned. "You know I could arrest you for impersonating an officer?"

"Hey, I had to tell them something. If they knew I'm a journalist, they wouldn't have put me through to you. Besides, I was impersonating a secretary, I doubt there are laws against that," Shanks said.

"I'm not telling you anything about the art thief," Benn said with a sigh.

"I'm not calling for that."

Benn leaned back in his desk chair, slightly surprised. "You're not?"

"I wanted to see if you would be interested in going out with me."

Benn narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Is this a weird way of trying to pry information out of me?"

"No, it's quite a normal way of asking you out," Shanks replied. "I could try it weirder if you're more into that, though."

"No, that's alright. Why would I want to go out with you, though?" Benn asked as he fiddled with a pen.

"Well, obviously you work long hours and don't get out much, so the chances of meeting someone else are slim. Besides, I work irregular hours as well, so I'm not put off by that."

"So, what you're saying is that you're pretty much my only option," Benn concluded, secretly amused.

"That, and you have the hots for me," Shanks stated matter-of-factly.

"Is that so?"

"Obviously. If you'd have found me half as annoying as you pretend to, you'd have punched me in the face already, or taken out a restraining order," Shanks said, sounding rather triumphant.

Benn played with the cord of the phone, a smile on his lips. "You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?"

"Not entirely. I'm not a hundred percent sure I didn't overstepped any boundaries here. The fact that you haven't hung up yet is a good sign, but…"

Benn smiled as he sat up in his chair. "Then how about we discuss your boundary issues over dinner tonight?"


	40. ShanksxBenn Detective AU (2)

Prompt: ShanksBenn - "If you die, I'm gonna kill you.", requested by Arzani92

Warnings: mentions of drug dealers, mention of murder, loss of limbs, blood

* * *

"Do you really have to go?" Shanks asked as Benn put on his bulletproof vest.

"Of course I do. It's my job to catch bad guys, after all." Benn made sure he could reach his gun if necessary – which it probably would be. After months of pursuing drug dealers for murder, they had finally found the abandoned warehouse where they hid and dealt. As leader of the investigation, Benn would be in charge of the raid, which no doubt would be dangerous.

Shanks was the one who had brought him the lead. As journalist, he knew people in places Benn couldn't even imagine, but he was grateful for the tip.

They had been dating for a while now, and this wasn't the first time they realised they both had dangerous professions.

"You know that if you die, I'm gonna kill you, right?" Shanks said. He made it sound like a joke, but Benn heard the serious undertone in his voice.

He nodded.

* * *

The raid was a success. Benn had arrested the culprits without losing any of his people. There were a few injuries, but nothing serious.

After he had put the drug dealers in jail and had been applauded for his efforts by his team, he went to his desk to call Shanks and give him the good news. Of course, there would be a press conference, though Benn wouldn't be the spokesman, but Shanks had brought them the lead, so he deserved to have the scoop.

However, on his desk, Benn found an envelope with his name written on it in Shanks' handwriting. Frowning, he opened it and took out the letter.

'_Benn,_

_There is more to this story than I initially thought. The guys you have caught are only middleman, and the big fish are still in hiding. I got a tip about where to find them, so I'm off to investigate it. I'll let you know when I know more._

_Don't wait up, it might be late. Actually, don't expect me back for a few days. Yes, I'll be careful. I knew you were gonna say that._

_Shanks'_

Benn grit his teeth and crumpled the letter. That idiot went after drug dealers on his own, while earlier that day, he had made Benn promise to be careful.

Benn would have to find him before it was too late.

* * *

Two weeks passed in which Benn didn't hear from Shanks, not even the smallest hint that he was still alive. Benn had tried to find him, but the attitude of his co-workers told him that none of them thought Shanks was still alive.

It was in the middle of the night that he startled awake. He wasn't sure if he had heard something or not, so he lied still and listened. He lived in an old house, so some creaking was normal, but when the doorknob of his bedroom turned, Benn grabbed his nightstick tightly. He pretended to sleep until the door opened and the culprit came in, before siting up, read\y to pound on the intruder's head with his nightstick.

He stopped dead in his tracks.

Even in the dark, he could recognise Shanks' silhouette. Hastily, he turned on the light on his nightstand.

Shanks grinned at him, as he had done so many times before, but somehow, it didn't seem to reach his eyes. He was clutching with one hand at his side, and Benn feared he was wounded, when he realised Shanks' wound wasn't at his side.

He was missing an arm.

Benn could only stare at him, the clock ticking away the seconds, while Shanks smiled sheepishly.

"Wha…" Benn finally managed to bring out. "What the hell happened?!"

Shanks sighed and sunk down on the bed. "I found the source. Don't worry, your team is arresting them as we speak."

"That is not what I fucking meant! You just barge in here, missing a limb, and you think I care about drug dealers?!" Benn closed his eyes and tried to remain calm. This wasn't the time to lose his head. When he opened his eyes again, Shanks was looking at him, a soft smile on his lips.

"Don't worry about it. It was worth it. The boy is okay."

Benn wasn't sure what boy, but things suddenly started to make sense. Shanks had lost his arm protecting someone, a child, it seemed. That was just the type of guy he was.

Without a word, Benn rose from the bed and walked around it to the side where Shanks was sitting. He started to unbutton his blood soaked shirt.

The bandages around what remained of Shanks' arm seemed fresh, so at least the idiot had seen a doctor. Benn still decided to change them and disinfect the wound. While he was working, neither of them spoke.

When he was done, he pulled Shanks into bed with him, wrapping his arm around his torso.

Shanks took a deep, shaky breath, before burying his face in Benn's pyjama shirt.

Benn just held him close. Shanks would tell him what exactly had happened in the past two weeks in the morning, but for now, Benn was happy he was still alive and in his arms again.


	41. ShanksxBenn All for me

Prompt: ShanksBenn - "You did all of this for me?", requested by Arzani92

* * *

Benn had never thought he would spend so much time in a courtroom. He had lived a quiet, peaceful life, paying his taxes in time, working, saving up to buy a house. He had finally found one he could afford and was pleased with, when it turned out the contractor he had hired to fix the place up a bit had scammed him, using cheap material that had fallen apart, and stolen his money.

Benn had wanted to sue them, but without money, he couldn't do anything about it.

That was, until an angel had appeared on his path, in the form of a successful lawyer, who for some reason decided to take his case pro bono. Benn had met Shanks through Makino, a friend of his, who told him that Shanks had helped her out as well.

Benn hadn't realised that this was the same Shanks who was the best, but therefore also most expensive lawyer in the city. He could hardly believe he would be interested in Benn's case. Still, Shanks, who was the most charming and charismatic man Benn had ever met – not to mention the handsomest – had assured him he would take Benn's case for free.

Right now, the trial was almost over, and Benn had never thought he would have so much confidence to win, and he wouldn't have, had Shanks not been by his side. Not only had he used his charming smile on the judge, he had also done his homework and found other victims of the contractor.

In all, Benn felt confident to win, and he owed it all to Shanks.

When the judge came back in and announced that the contractor had to pay for restorations, return all Benn's money, pay a fine and a suspended sentence in jail, Benn could only throw his arms around Shanks' neck and hug him tightly.

Shanks laughed and slapped him amicably on his back. "It's quite alright."

"You did all of this for me," Benn said hoarsely. "How can I ever thank you?"

Shanks made himself loose out of Benn's embrace. "How about you take me out to dinner once you get your money back?"

Benn grinned. "Absolutely."

"Great," Shanks said with a grin. "And who knows, perhaps I can take another case of you pro boner."

Benn blinked, wondering if he had heard him correctly. "Did you just…?"

Shanks merely waggled his eyebrows and then left to talk to lawyer of the contractor.

Benn shook his head, but kept staring at Shanks with a smile on his face even when Makino hugged him tightly to congratulate him with his victory.

Perhaps his money back wasn't the only thing he would get out of this trial.


	42. ZoroxSanji Smile

Prompt: ZoSan "Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?", requested by Ventusio

* * *

Sanji definitely hadn't come to London for its cuisine, as everything was dripping with grease. After a week, he was tired of fish and chips, no matter how well prepared. It was his first vacation that had nothing to do with learning a country's cuisine. Being from France, he of course was an expert on good food, and he could definitely teach these Britons a thing or two when it came to vegetables.

But London was an amazing city nonetheless, and Sanji was glad he had come. He had done all the touristy things, except trying to make the royal guard laugh.

That was his next mission, and with his camera poised, he approached the first guard where he lay his eyes on.

The guy was pretty cute, he had to admit, though his odd green hair along with the red of his uniform made him look like a glorified Christmas tree. Sanji bit back a snicker and stood next to the man to take a picture of the both of them. The guard didn't stir a muscle.

"Good afternoon," Sanji said. He spoke English very well, but his accent was obvious.

The guard didn't move.

"This must be the worst job in the world, am I wrong?" Sanji continued. He got no reply. "So how long are you standing here already?"

The guard kept staring into space.

Sanji sighed. This was tougher than he had thought. Well, he wasn't the first tourist to try this, so they must be trained for it. "What if you have to pee? You still can't move then, can you?" To be extra annoying, Sanji took a long draught from his bottle of water.

The guard's eyes flicked towards him.

"Aha!" Sanji called out. "You moved!"

But the guard was staring in front of him again.

Sanji huffed. "I know what I saw."

He did a few more attempts to try to make the guard laugh, but it was in vain. Eventually, he grew bored. "Whatever. I'm gonna try to find something to eat that doesn't swim in grease."

Suddenly, a loud growling sound arose, and Sanji's head snapped in the direction of the guard, a smirk on his face. "Are you hungry?"

The guard didn't reply, but his cheeks were slightly red.

Sanji wanted to make another snide remark, but before he could, he heard footsteps approach. Another guard approached.

The first guard turned ninety degrees and marched in the direction where the other guard had come from. His eyes flicked over to Sanji briefly, and suddenly, Sanji was in no rush to leave.

His patience paid off eventually, when the guard approached him, now in normal clothes.

Sanji smirked. "Well, well."

"You stayed." He sounded surprised.

"Maybe you can show me a good place to eat."

The guard nodded and held out his hand. "Zoro."

"Sanji." Sanji smirked. "Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?"


	43. ThatchxIzo Food critic (1)

Prompt: ThatchIzo - "Wanna bet?", requested by MyLadyDay

* * *

The corners of Izo's mouth pulled down in a disapproving manner as he looked at the small restaurant in front of him. Well, you could hardly call it a restaurant, now could you, if they only sold 'food' that was swimming in grease.

Izo suppressed a shudder. He couldn't believe he had let Ace talk him into going here. He, a distinguished food critic, whose opinion made or broke restaurants and who had made many owners cry, either tears from joy or devastation, usually the latter.

Yet Ace swore that this place sold the best hamburgers in town. Now, Ace wasn't the pickiest eater, as Izo had seen him eat food he himself couldn't keep down, but Marco had agreed with him on this. Again, Marco wasn't a critic either, but at least he tasted the food before he swallowed.

So, for some reason Izo had let himself be talked into going to the place.

There had to be at least some truth to Ace's claim, as there was a line of people waiting outside of the place. Izo wasn't one for waiting, though, and he barged into the restaurant, ignoring the protests of the people waiting.

"Heya!" a man greeted him. He must be one of the 'cooks', as he was wearing an apron covered in grease stains. "I think you missed the line out there."

"Don't you know who I am?" Izo asked haughtily.

The man shrugged.

Izo rolled his eyes. "Of course you don't."

"Listen, buddy, even if you were the queen of England, you'd still have to wait in line." The man crossed his arms before his chest.

"And you should wear a hairnet," Izo replied. He eyed the man's pompadour hairstyle in disdain.

"What, you're health inspection or something?" The man cocked his head to the side. "Anyway, I'm not in the kitchen, so I don't need a hairnet. But you _need_ to get in line."

Izo huffed, but did as he was told anyway, casting deadly looks to everyone who dared to smirk smugly at him. This was so not worth his time, but if he didn't do it now, Ace would make him go another time, or worse, he would drag Izo there himself. Izo didn't understand how Marco could stand Ace's eating habits.

After what seemed like forever, Izo made it inside the restaurant, and a waiter showed him to the only free seat, which was at the bar.

Izo had never been this insulted in his life. Usually, he immediately got a seat, even if people had been sitting there before, and the owner themselves served him hand and foot. He had never been placed at the _bar_.

"Hey again," the man who had greeted him the first time said cheerfully. Either he didn't remember Izo anymore, or he didn't hold a grudge. "What can I get ya?"

Izo eyed the menu with slight disgust. "Oh, I don't know. Something edible?"

The man didn't look the least bit offended. "You don't come here often, do you?"

"And why would I?"

The man leaned with his elbows on the bar. "Then why are you here now?"

"It's not voluntarily, I can assure you." Izo looked up from the menu. "A friend of mine insisted that I went."

"Tell your friend thanks, then." The man grinned broadly, like that was the highest compliment he could get. "May I ask who?"

"His name is Ace." Izo picked up the menu again in a vain attempt to find anything he would like. "Apparently, these are the best burgers he has ever had. I don't see how he would know, though, since he has never heard of chewing."

The man laughed. "Oh, I know him! Great customer. I'm surprised you would be friends with him, though."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Izo asked, insulted.

The man held up his hands defensively. "I didn't mean anything by it. You just seem like the type that belongs in high society, and he doesn't."

"If you must know, I'm very open minded about people, and Ace is very likable. It's just food I'm critical about, as it is my job," Izo replied haughtily.

"Oh, now I know who you are! You're that critic who makes all the owners cry!" the man called out and held out his hand. "I'm Thatch, the owner of this place."

"You know who I am, yet you introduce yourself?" Izo asked as he carefully took Thatch's hand.

He shrugged. "You should know who you're about to make cry, right? Though, I should warn you, I don't cry easily. Anyway, how about I make you something special that'll knock your socks off?"

Izo rolled his eyes. "I doubt you'll impress me."

"Wanna bet?" Thatch grinned. "If you like what I serve you, you give me a good review and don't try to make me cry. If you don't, your friend eats here for free for a month."

Izo raised his eyebrow. "What does that have to do with me?"

Thatch shrugged. "I don't know, you seem like the type who's happy when is friends are. Besides, the way your friend eats will bankrupt me before the month is over, so then you'll have your way."

Izo smiled and held out his hand. "Deal. Though, you must be every confident about your cooking to make such a wager."

Thatch just grinned and disappeared to the kitchen.

Izo sipped from the water that had been placed in front of him as he waited. He had to hand it to Thatch, he was an interesting character. Izo was surprised to realise that he actually hoped Thatch's cooking was as good as he claimed, so Izo would have an excuse to come here more often. If he ruined Thatch's business by disliking the food, Thatch would probably be less inclined to spend more time with Izo.

Izo wondered why he cared.

Finally, Thatch emerged from the kitchen again, a hairnet around his hair and carrying a plate with a hamburger on it. "Bon appetit," he said as he placed the plate in front of Izo.

Izo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Just give it a try." Thatch took off the hairnet and leaned against the wall across from Izo.

Izo stared at the hamburger for a while, trying to figure out what would be the best way to eat it. Eventually, he decided there was none, and just grabbed the burger with both hands. He eyed Thatch for a second, who was still grinning, before he sunk his teeth into the burger.

His eyes widened.

Thatch grinned as he handed Izo a napkin to wipe his mouth and hands, which Izo took gratefully.

He swallowed the bite he had taken and betted his mouth, slightly embarrassed for the mess he had made. When he was done, he looked at Thatch, who was looking at him expectantly. "Alright, I admit it," he said, "this must be the best thing I have eaten in a long time. You'll get your review."

Thatch grinned again. He didn't even look triumphantly, rather, he seemed genuinely happy with Izo's words. "That's great! Enjoy the rest. I should probably head back into the kitchen. Don't worry, I'll wear this." He held up the hairnet.

Izo couldn't suppress a smile.

Thatch smiled before he headed towards the kitchen. At the door, he hesitated and turned back to Izo, who had just taken another bite. Thatch scratched the back of his head, almost looking shy. "You know, it's usually more quiet right before closing time, if you'd like a chat."

Izo's lips curled into a smile. "Once I tell Ace he was right, I don't doubt I'll be dragged here more often. But perhaps I'll take you up on your offer."

Thatch grinned happily before disappearing.

Izo smiled as well and grabbed his hamburger. He would definitely come here again, and not just for the amazing food.


	44. ThatchxIzo Food critic (2)

A continuation of the previous chapter (so ThatchIzo)

No prompts used

* * *

"You liked it!" Ace all but screamed into his face in greeting.

Izo couldn't help but smile despite being sprayed. He hadn't told Ace that he had eaten at Thatch's place, but as promised, he had written a review, even if it wasn't the kind of place he – and probably his readers – would normally go to. The editor of the paper had been doubtful about publishing the article, but in the end, Izo had managed to persuade him.

"I told you you would," Ace added smugly, and added with sparkling eyes, "Now we can eat there!"

Before Izo could protest, he was dragged off by an overenthusiastic Ace, and followed by a chuckling Marco.

It was a little before closing time, and as Thatch had said, it was a bit quieter, though the place was still mostly full. There was only one table free, with two chairs, and it was immediately claimed by Marco and Ace. Izo was forced to sit at the bar again, but at least they were close enough that they could talk if Izo turned around.

Thatch emerged from the kitchen soon after they had sat down. "If it isn't my favourite customers!" he greeted them cheerfully. "The usual?" he asked Ace.

Ace grinned broadly. "You know it."

Marco ordered as well, and finally, Thatch turned to Izo. "What would you like?"

Izo's lips curled into a smile. "Surprise me."

Thatch grinned excitedly and returned to the kitchen.

"He's great, right?" Ace said to Izo.

Izo shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

"You'd make a great couple."

Izo almost choked on his water. "E-excuse me?"

Marco kicked Ace under the table and gave him a warning look.

"What?" Ace asked. "You agreed with m– Ouch!" He had received another kick.

Izo rolled his eyes. "I don't need to be set up with anyone, thank you very much. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about me behind my back."

"Sorry, we just thought you'd like each other. You've been kinda grumpy lately," Ace said as he rubbed his painful shin. "And you made more people cry than usual."

Izo sighed. "Then they should serve me edible food. Really, Ace, I'm fine. Besides, I doubt we have much in common."

"Unlike me and Marco, who could be identical twins," Ace said sarcastically. "The opposite attracts, you know."

"You both work with food," Marco mixed into the conversation.

Izo gave him a deadpanned look, and Marco held up his hands defensively.

"Exactly! And you like his! Come on, Izo, I'm right about this!"

Izo sighed. "Just drop it, Ace."

Ace pouted, but did drop the subject. He seemed to forget about the conversation completely when his food arrived.

Izo smiled at Thatch when a plate was placed in front of him a few minutes later.

Thatch smiled back, but instead of going to the kitchen, he lingered a little.

Izo assumed he wanted to see his reaction, so he took the burger in both hands and took a bite. Thatch smiled pleased when his face lit up, but he still didn't go back to the kitchen. Instead, he fussed a little behind the bar, cleaning up and placing things several inches to the right, because apparently, that made more sense.

Izo was slightly surprised at his behaviour, but he was too engrossed in his food to pay much attention.

As he wiped his hands and face clean and chewed the last of his food, Thatch took a step closer. "Ehm, it's Izo, right? Can I call you that?"

Izo swallowed his bite and nodded. "Of course."

Thatch seemed suddenly a little nervous and scratched the back of his head. "I was just wondering if you'd maybe like to go out his me some time."

Izo raised his eyebrow, his hamburger forgotten. "Did Ace put you up to this?"

"No, why?" Thatch seemed genuinely confused.

Izo sighed. "Because he thinks I'm grumpy, just because I'm picky about what I put in my mouth."

"Oh yeah, you totally should be," Thatch said with a serious face.

From behind him, Izo could hear snickers, and he turned around to Ace and Marco, who both tried to hide their laughter. "What?"

"Nothing," Ace squeaked, but immediately doubled over with laughter.

Realisation suddenly hit Izo, and he rolled his eyes. "Oh, get your mind out of the gutter! I'd expect this of Ace, but I'm disappointed in you, Marco."

Marco tried to cover his laughter up by coughing, failing miserably. "I'm sorry," he said as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Izo huffed and turned back to his food.

"You didn't answer my question, though," Thatch said. The tips of his ears had turned red.

Izo hesitated and looked over his shoulder.

Ace had finally calmed down and jumped up. "You totally should, Izo! Come on, it'll be fun!"

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," Thatch hastily said. "Really."

"Ace, you can't force him to go," Marco said strictly as he took out his wallet to pay the bill.

"Of course I can," Ace said indignantly. "Come on, Izo! We could double date if you're nervous."

"No, really, it's fine. Forget I asked," Thatch said.

"Stop it, Ace," Marco said sternly and pulled his boyfriend with him by his ear, ignoring his whining. "You can have another burger if you behave. Sorry, Izo."

Izo watched his friends leave through the front door before turning back to his food.

"I'm sorry about that," Thatch said with a sigh. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything."

"I know." Izo took another bite. "So what did you say about a date?" he asked when he had finished chewing.

Confusedly, Thatch turned to him. "I thought you didn't want to."

"I never said I didn't. Besides, I can't have Ace think he's a good matchmaker. I wouldn't hear the end of it." Izo grinned.

Thatch looked at him stunned for a moment, but then he grinned as well. "I'm just about to close, if you have time."

"Sure. Just give me a sec." When Thatch nodded, Izo walked out of the now nearly abandoned restaurant. As expected, Marco and Ace were waiting for him outside.

"I'm sorry, Izo," Ace immediately said and bowed. His politeness never ceased to amaze Izo. "I didn't mean to be so pushy."

"It's okay, Ace, I know you meant well."

"I did, but still, it wasn't right. How about we go to the movies, as an apology? My treat," Ace said.

"By which he means _my_ treat, because _someone_ forgot their wallet." Marco sighed.

Ace smiled sheepishly.

"Actually, you go on without me. I have other plans." Izo smiled mysteriously at their confused faces. "Don't wait up," he added with a wink, and enjoyed the flabbergasted looks he received when he entered the restaurant again just as Thatch turned the sign from open to closed.


	45. ThatchxIzo Food critic (3)

A continuation of the previous two chapters

* * *

Finally Thatch had managed to get all of the other cooks out of the door, though that didn't go without teasing remarks and kissing noises.

Izo chuckled when Thatch leaned against the now closed door and sighed.

"Sorry about that."

Izo sat down in one of the booths. This was the first time he saw the restaurant empty. It was tastefully decorated, giving it a cosy atmosphere, something he hadn't noticed before.

Thatch placed a glass of wine in front of him, a fancier kind than he had expected in a place like this, but then again, he was soon learning that nothing about this establishment was as it seemed, including its owner.

"Do you often stay later than everyone else?" Izo asked as he took a sip.

Thatch chuckled. "Are you asking if I often ask people to stay here with me?"

Izo flushed slightly, but quickly recovered. "It's just that your chefs didn't seem surprised you sent them home before you left."

"I do usually stay later than the others, to make some preparations for tomorrow. I live in the apartment above this place, so it doesn't take long to go home," Thatch explained.

"What kind of preparations?" Izo asked curiously.

"Well, I try to work with ingredients as fresh as possible, but I usually prepare the dough for the buns the night before."

Izo smiled and leaned with his head on his hand. "It's no wonder your restaurant is so popular."

"I'm glad I changed you mind," Thatch said with a grin. "Thanks to your review, I got even more customers. If this continues, I can open another place."

"That's great!" But then the smile disappeared from his face. "Wait, that's not why you asked me out, though?"

"Of course not." Thatch placed his hand on Izo's and smiled sheepishly. "I just couldn't get you out of my head ever since you waltzed in here like you owned the place. Which you don't because I do, but…"

Izo chuckled and looked at their joined hands.

Thatch hastily pulled his back. "Sorry."

Izo just smiled.

They talked until the wine was long gone, when Thatch said, "I probably should start at the dough. If you'd like, you could maybe stay?"

It sounded more like a question than a suggestion, and Izo had to chuckle. Thatch was rather cute when he got all shy like that. "Sure. Don't think I'll be much help, though."

"Why's that?" Thatch asked as he showed Izo to the kitchen.

"Let's just say that if I were a cook, I would have made myself cry a long time ago," Izo said. "I don't cook, I just judge others on their cooking."

"Well, we should really change that." Thatch mixed the ingredients for the dough. "Here, you do the kneading."

Izo hesitated.

"Come on, it's not hard. You might wanna wash your hands first, though."

Izo did as he was told and then walked over to Thatch.

Thatch smiled at him encouragingly and stepped aside so Izo could reach the bowl.

Izo rolled up his sleeves and stuck his hands into the dough. It felt weird, but not unpleasant.

"That's good," Thatch complimented him, "but you could put a little more back into it. Here." He stood behind Izo and placed his hands in the bowl as well as he showed Izo how it was done.

Izo chuckled and turned around, still pinned between Thatch and the counter. "You're a great teacher," he said and wrapped his arms around Thatch's neck, careful not to touch him with his still doughy hands.

"I doubt I am, 'cause I can't seem to have keep my student paying attention," Thatch replied.

"Oh, I'm paying attention alright." Izo leaned in and kissed Thatch's lips.

Thatch wiped his hands on his apron without breaking the kiss and gently pushed Izo back on the counter.

They were entangled like that for a while, before Thatch seemed to realise what they were doing and pulled back, his cheeks flushed. "That's… kinda unhygienic. The place, not the action," he hastily added as he helped Izo down.

There had been flour all over the counter, which was now sticking to Izo's clothes.

"Shit," Thatch murmured and started to dust Izo off, until he realised that by doing so, he was also patting Izo's ass. Hastily, he stopped his action. "Sorry."

Izo chuckled. "That's fine. I can wash them."

Thatch put the dough away and sighed. "This is not really how a first date is supposed to go, is it?"

"Perhaps not." Izo walked up to him and wrapped his arms around his neck again. "But I definitely want to repeat it."


	46. ShanksxBenn Lies

Prompt: ShanksBenn, "You lied to me", requested by Arzani92

* * *

"You lied to me," Shanks whined, but he was already trapped.

Yasopp and Roo had lured him into the car under false pretences, namely, that they would go out drinking – Shanks should have seen it was a trap since it was early afternoon and most people didn't drink then, but who was he to pass up free booze?

Yet now it turned out they had brought him to a doctor, while he was perfectly fine! Sure, he had had this cough for a while now, but surely that wasn't something a glass of alcohol couldn't fix – well, actually, it was, since he had tried that quite a few times already. But hey, fiftieth time's the charm, right?

So this trip was definitely for naught, and Shanks just didn't want to waste his friends' time. That was it. It was definitely not like he was afraid of the doctor.

But clinging to the car seat didn't work and eventually, Roo held him underneath his arms while Yasopp had his feet as they carried him inside the building. Struggling didn't seem to work, so Shanks gave up and hung limply as he was kidnapped.

In the waiting room, he was placed on a chair and pouted, when he noticed that there were an awful lot of kids waiting there. "Wait a minute," he said slowly. "Did you take me to a pediatrician?!"

"We may have," Yasopp replied while Roo just grinned.

"I'm not a damn child!" Shanks exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. When he noticed several parents covering their child's ears, he realised he probably should mind his language. "I'm not a child."

"Really? 'Cause we carried you inside kicking and screaming," Yasopp said, his arms crossed before his chest.

"And you bit the last doctor we took you to," Roo helpfully reminded.

"I didn't bite him… hard," Shanks huffed. "And that still doesn't give you the right to take me here. I'm leaving." He made for the door, but before he could reach it, he was tackled by Roo, who could be surprisingly fast if he wanted to. Roo sat down on him, and Shanks figured that even if he hadn't needed a doctor before, he might now. That didn't mean he would let them take him, though.

"Get off me! I'm fine! I'm fi–" A coughing fit interrupted his protests, and Roo moved off him.

"Shanks Red?" a deep voice called.

"Here!" Yasopp immediately replied, taking advantage of Shanks incapability to talk right now.

Roo slung Shanks over his shoulder like he weighed nothing before Shanks could make a run for it again, and he was carried inside the doctor's office.  
Roo placed him not too gently into a chair, before leaving the office.

"Try not to bite," Yasopp warned. "We'll wait outside."

Shanks crossed his arms before his chest and pouted while he looked around the doctor's office, which was awfully colourful.

"You're a bit taller than I expected," the doctor said, sounding slightly amused.

"Yeah, well, those bastards–" Shanks cut himself off when he turned around to see the doctor. The man was absolutely gorgeous. He didn't look like the type who worked with kids, yet entirely in place at the same time. He was handsome in a rugged way, with greying hair and dark eyes.

"My friends are just messing with me," Shanks finally muttered.

The doctor chuckled. "I'm Dr Benn Beckman, Dr Benn to most of my patients. Since you're here now, what's the problem?"

"Nothing, I'm fine. Though I may have broken something when Roo sat on me," he added.

"If you're fine, why did your friends go to this much trouble?" Benn inquired.

"They're just overly concerned. I just have this cough and–"

"Since when?" Benn interrupted.

Shanks sighed. "I don't know, a few weeks?"

"Unbutton your shirt."

Shanks looked up at the doctor, his lips quirked into a smirk. "Usually people buy me dinner first."

Benn seemed amused as well. "Usually my patients are rewarded with candy afterwards."

Shanks smirked and started to unbutton. "Alright then."

"That is provided you don't bite," Benn added.

Shanks' cheeks flushed. "That was one time!"

"Well, I can't say I've never been bitten before by a patient before," Benn said with a sigh and put his stethoscope in his ears. Suddenly, he was sitting very close as he pressed the instrument against Shanks' chest. "Take a deep breath."

Shanks did as he was told.

"Now cough."

He did so, only to immediately have a coughing fit.

Benn hummed and rose. "Drink a lot of tea with honey for a while and keep your chest warm." He walked over to his desk.

"I can do that. See, I knew it was nothing serious." Shanks plopped up his feet in the desk and smirked. "Oi, Doc, I think you owe me something."

Benn snorted and took a lollipop out of his drawer, which he passed to Shanks.

"Not the kind of candy I had in mind, but I'll take it." Shanks waggled suggestively with his eyebrows as he put the lollipop in his mouth.

"Well, if it doesn't get any better, you should see a doctor again." Benn sat down in his desk chair. "But I would recommend seeing a different one next time."

Shanks took the lollipop out of his mouth. "Why? I get free candy here and you haven't given me a reason to bite you."

"I'd like to change that."

Shanks' eyebrows rose in surprise.

Benn coughed to cover his embarrassment of that slip of the tongue. "I mean, it would be inappropriate to ask out a patient. And in my case, usually very disturbing, so I can safely say that this is the first time I've considered it," he added hastily.

"So, you're asking me out?" Shanks asked.

"As someone who happens to be a doctor to someone who is not their patient, yes," Benn said.

Shanks smirked. "Well, if it's doctor's orders, who am I to argue that?"

Benn wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Shanks.

Shanks smirked when he saw it was a phone number. "Thanks, Doc," he said with a smirk as he rose. "I'll be sure to get my medicine."


	47. ShanksxBenn Christmas

For Arzani92, pairing ShanksBenn

Christmas!fic

* * *

Benn smiled as he held the door open for Shanks, who, as always, scurried inside at the last possible moment, though he was later than usual. The library closed earlier today, as it was Christmas Eve, so perhaps Shanks hadn't taken that into account.

Benn didn't mind that much. It wasn't like he had much else to do besides working, as he didn't have a family to entertain, which was why he was the last person here. The other librarians had been happy to shirk their work at him.

Shanks took off his hat and shook the snow off his clothes on the mat. Benn had to admit he looked rather cute with his cheeks flushed by the cold.

"Sorry I'm late, I just had to have this book over Christmas and since you're closed then…" Shanks trailed off and smiled sheepishly.

"It's okay, just go get it," Benn said with a smile.

"Thanks." Shanks beamed at him and hastened himself to a corner of the library.

Benn followed him with his eyes and sighed, smiling. Shanks came in every other day to borrow a book, even though he couldn't possibly finish them that fast, or he would have to have a lot of free time on his hands.

Benn shook his head at his wishful thinking. Of course Shanks didn't come in to see him, even though his smile always made Benn's day.

He eyed the corner Shanks had disappeared in one more time before locking the door – to prevent more people from coming in – and sitting behind the counter, so he could check out the book that was apparently quite important to Shanks.

While he was waiting, his mind drifted to all the times Shanks had come in near closing time, when the library wasn't too busy anymore. He always knew something to chat about, but it never had become personal. They hadn't even been formally introduced, and the only reason Benn knew Shanks' name was because it was written on his library card.

He was started from his thoughts by a loud noise. It sounded like a lot of heavy things fell down.

Dreading what he would find, Benn hastened himself to the corner where Shanks had disappeared to.

Much to his relief, Shanks seemed to be unharmed, but he stared wide-eyed at Benn, surrounded by books.

One of the bookcases had fallen over, but fortunately, it was stopped from falling to the ground by a beam. The books, however, had all fallen out.

"Are you okay?" Benn asked Shanks, who still stood frozen.

"Y-yeah, I could jump aside in time. But I'm so sorry! I tripped and fell against it when it fell over," Shanks started to explain.

Benn took a few breaths to calm his racing heart. Shanks was okay, that was the most important. Benn had complained to the administration of the library several times that this bookcase wasn't properly bolted to the floor.

"I'm sorry for making a mess," Shanks said sighing and combed with his hand through his hair.

Somehow, that gesture was very distracting, and it took a moment before Benn realised he had said something. "Oh, that's fine. It's not your fault."

"Maybe not, but it's not fine," Shanks replied with a frown. "It's Christmas Eve. Isn't your family waiting for you?"

"Nah, the only one waiting for me is my cat, and he'll be indignant no matter what time I feed him," Benn said as he tried to place the bookcase upright.

Shanks hastened to assist. "No plans for Christmas either?"

"Sorting books," Benn said dryly.

"I'll stay to help! Or come back tomorrow to do it," Shanks said.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you have plans."

"Not really." Shanks scratched the back of his head. "It was supposed to be me, my buddies, and booze. But we can drink anywhere," he added with a smirk. "I can ask them to help. Bolt that bookcase while we're at it and anything."

Benn considered his suggestion for a moment. "Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely. We'll bring booze and food, and we'll make a party here. Well, I know _technically _we're not allowed to eat in the library, but…"

"Sounds great," Benn said with a smile. He hadn't particularly looked forward to Christmas because he didn't have anyone to celebrate with. Until now.

Shanks beamed at him. "Then I'll meet you here at ten a.m. or so? We won't start drinking then, of course," he hastily added.

"Sure. I don't feel like picking up books tonight anyway," Benn said.

"So…" Shanks scratched the back of his head. "If you don't have plans tonight, would you like to have a drink with me? If it's okay with your cat, that is," he hastily added.

Benn looked up from the mess of books surprised. "Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah. I wanted to ask you out for a while. That's why I borrowed all those books, to talk to you. But it never seemed a good time. Well, this isn't a good time either, obviously, since I just destroyed your library," he gestured at the mess, "but if you say yes now, it must mean you really like me." He grinned sheepishly.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Benn's mouth. "I guess I do."

"Is that a yes?"

Benn nodded.

A grin almost split Shanks' face in half. "Great! I don't think we've been properly introduced, though. I'm Shanks."

"Benn." He shook Shanks' hand, which felt warm in his.

"Well then, Benn," Shanks grinned at him, "merry Christmas."


	48. NewgatexGarp Christmas

For Picmurasaki.

NewgatexGarp Christmas fic

* * *

Christmas was somehow always a lonely time, at least since the boys were all grown up. Luffy was off with his friends God knows where – and to be honest, Garp didn't _want_ to know, because somehow, he had a feeling that would be better for his heart – Sabo hang out with Koala, and Ace was with his boyfriend's family to celebrate the holiday.

Said boyfriend was none other than the son of Edward Newgate, as it turned out – though, with the amount of people Newgate took under his wing, somehow it wasn't _that_ surprising that Ace ended up dating one, statistically.

Still, Garp had to admit he had been surprised to say the least when Ace introduced his current lover as Marco Newgate. That had been several months ago, and somehow, the brat had stuck with Marco. It was serious enough to celebrate Christmas with Marco's family, which left Garp in his current position. Alone.

Of course, he had had an office Christmas party with his colleagues, and he had seen more than his fair share of those co-workers drunk. Garp himself hadn't been exactly sober either, and he had ended up sobbing on Tsuru's shoulder that his brats grew up too fast.

He preferred to pretend that never happened.

Feeling a bit wistfully, Garp thought back to so many Christmases ago, when he had spent it with a certain man called Edward Newgate, better known as Whitebeard.

Back then, Garp had still been a rookie on the police force and had thought he didn't need backup when he had found out where the notorious criminal Whitebeard was hiding out. Garp had followed him into the catacombs underneath the city on Christmas Eve.

An unexpected earthquake had collapsed part of the tunnels, effectively trapping them both together. With no way to call for backup, Garp had spent Christmas with the man he was supposed to arrest.

When help had finally arrived, Garp couldn't find it in his heart anymore to lock Whitebeard up, so he had let him escape before the firemen arrived to get him out.

It was strange to be in love with a criminal, and it was a love Garp would never indulge in, even if it was mutual.

After all these years, Edward Newgate had somehow made it back into his life as a law-abiding citizen, in the form of in-law family. Whitebeard had served his time and was now living happily with his family. And now also Garp's.

Sighing, Garp got up to get a bottle of liquor from the kitchen. He could get drunk on the good stuff today, it was Christmas after all.

However, before he could pour himself a glass, the phone rang. With a frown, Garp picked up the receiver. He didn't know anyone who would call him today.

"Gramps?" Ace's voice sounded on the other end of the line. He sounded upset.

"What do you want, brat? I thought you were celebrating Christmas with the Newgates," Garp grouched, though he was secretly glad to hear at least one of his brats' voices.

"We had a fight. Could you please pick me up?" Ace all but begged.

"Huh? You want _me_ to come pick you up?" Garp asked confusedly. Usually, Ace didn't want to be caught dead near him.

"Don't make me ask again, old man! You know how much I hate to ask you for a favour!" Ace called. "Just come."

As Garp wrote down the address, he felt a mixture of relief and sadness. Of course he didn't like it if one of his grandsons got his heart broken, but he was glad Ace felt safe enough with him to call him for help.

The drive wasn't long, and Garp was surprised to find out that Newgate lived within a stone's throw of him.

Marco was a brave man to open the door for him. Garp's fist missed him very nearly, but the man should thank his quick reflexes. No one broke one of Garp's brats' hearts.

Marco all but fled inside, followed by Garp, because missing was not an option. He would make Marco pay for what he did even if it was the last thing he did.

Ace was sitting on the couch, laughing with one of Marco's siblings, and his eyes widened when Garp came running into the living room, threatening to kill his apparent ex-boyfriend. "Gramps! What the hell!" He jumped protectively in front of Marco.

"You told me this bastard broke your heart," Garp said through gritted teeth.

"He didn't! I just said that to lure you here!"

Garp froze in his place, not knowing what to say. "You… what?"

Ace shrugged. "We didn't think you should be alone on Christmas." He gestured to the enormous table that was set with all kinds of dishes.

Garp's mouth fell open when he saw that not just Newgate's children, but his own grandsons, including friends and dates, were sitting at the table as well.

"Shishishi! You should see your face, Grandpa!" Luffy called. "You're so funny."

Sabo smiled and handed Garp a glass of wine. "You're just in time for dinner."

Still unable to speak, Garp looked around the room, and lastly at his grinning grandsons. "You brats," he finally gritted out, hitting them all over the head and effectively wiping those smirks off their faces.

"Ow! Dammit, Gramps!"

"That hurt!"

"Ouch!"

They all pouted and slunk back to their dates or friends with a well-deserved bump on their heads.

Garp huffed and looked around threateningly. Everyone hastened themselves to the table and didn't dare to look at him.

Garp sighed and shook his head. "Those damn brats," he muttered. Tricking him like that. Making him show that he cared. How dared they. He huffed again.

Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him, and he stiffened.

"Merry Christmas, Garp," a deep voice said warmly. "I'm glad you decided to join us."

Slowly, Garp turned around to the man that was somehow both his nemesis and the love of his life.

Newgate wore a soft expression and held out a giant hand to Garp. "I think there is a seat left next to me."


	49. MarcoAce Florist&biker

Pairing: MarcoAce

* * *

Every summer vacation, Ace worked along with Sabo and Luffy in his grandfather's flower store. They had started out just doing some chores like watering the plants and sweeping, but now that they were adults, they had taken over almost all tasks in the store itself, so that Garp could do the accounting and take a little break.

Well, Sabo and Ace had, because for many of the tasks Luffy was too Luffy to perform, but he still helped in his own way.

The pay was good, so Ace didn't mind working a little in his free time, as studying made for an expensive life.

However, it was this year that a certain biker gang had declared their nice little neighbourhood to be their territory. They hadn't destroyed anything yet, but Ace was certain it wouldn't be long before they would be causing trouble.

The gang, with the logo _WB_ on the back of their jacket – of which Ace didn't know what it stood for, but also not didn't want to find out when Luffy offered to ask – was hanging out in front of their flower store often. Ace wasn't afraid of them, and neither were his brothers – Luffy thought they were cool and wanted to join them – but he also didn't want to provoke them. Bikers were aggressive and loved to destroy stuff, right? They couldn't risk having the flower store smashed up, so the brothers always scurried past the gang quickly without provoking them in any way.

Well, again, Sabo and Ace did, while restraining Luffy from going over to them.

The first two weeks had past peacefully, but Ace wasn't ready to let his guard down. He was currently cutting the flower stalks for a bouquet while Sabo was sweeping the store and Luffy was somewhere probably making a mess in the back.

Ace as well as Sabo looked up when the little bell above the door chimed, announcing a customer. Their clientele had stayed away ever since the biker gang had shown up, only ordering flowers over the phone, so having someone in their store was surprising.

However, their new customer didn't look like most of their clientele. The man was big, almost too big to fit through the door. He had a long black beard that fell in three parts, and under his arm, he carried a motorcycle helmet that had horns attached to it.

This was no customer, this was a biker here to cause trouble.

Ace gripped the small knife he was holding tighter, while he noticed from the corner of his eye that Sabo did the same with his broom. They probably wouldn't be able to win a fight with the biker's friends so close by, but at least they could do some damage. Before they were beaten to a pulp.

"What the hell do you want?!" Ace snapped, ignoring the warning look Sabo shot him. He probably should be more polite not to provoke the biker, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. These bikers cost him his clients.

The biker stepped further into the store, raising his eyebrow.

Ace braced himself.

"Flowers," the biker said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ace's mouth fell open. He was too confused to act, but fortunately, Sabo recovered quicker.

"Certainly. Would you like a bouquet?" he asked in his most professional voice, like he wasn't speaking to an aggressive biker, though Ace could still see Sabo was alert for any sudden movement.

The biker shot a glance at Ace, who stood still frozen behind the counter, while Sabo talked on and on about different types of flowers. To the common viewer, it would seem that he was completely professional, but Ace knew Sabo was being nervous by the way he was babbling.

Finally being able to move again, Ace glanced to the back, but it would appear that Luffy had no idea what was going on, and Ace liked to keep it that way. He silently closed the door and hid the small knife behind his back as he joined Sabo at the counter again, trying to look unaffected by the biker.

Eventually, the biker ordered a bouquet, which would be picked up the next day. He reached into his jacket, and immediately, Sabo and Ace were on their guard, but the only thing the biker retrieved was his wallet.

"I'd like to pay by card."

* * *

The next day, Ace was nervous. That biker would come back today, and if he didn't like the flowers, who knew what he'd do?

Sabo and Luffy were in the back taking inventory – well, Sabo was – so Ace was manning the store alone. The bikers weren't standing in front of the door today, so they had had a few customers coming in, and every time one came in, Ace had a small heart attack, fearing that the biker was back.

The bell above the door chimed, and Ace whipped around, the watering can he used to water the flowers at the ready in case the biker was back.

However, the man who had entered looked nothing like a biker. He was tall and lean, with blond hair and a friendly face. He wore a black leather jacket that he would probably looked even better out of.

Ace could feel his jaw drop. This man was absolutely gorgeous.

"Hi," the man greeted him, and cocked his head slightly to the side.

Ace realised he had been staring – trying not to drool – and tried to compose himself. "Hi! Er, welcome!' he managed to say.

The man smiled, and Ace was surprised he didn't melt right there and then. "I'm here to pick up some flowers."

Ace nodded and all but ran towards the counter to help him as quickly as possible, but he tripped over a bucket of flowers and landed face first on the floor.

"Are you okay?" the voice of the customer sounded worriedly.

Ace scrambled to his feed and dusted off his apron, hoping didn't look like as much of an idiot like he felt. "Yeah, I'm okay. So you're here to pick up a bouquet?"

"Name of Newgate."

Ace started to rummage through their orders to find the name, when he heard the door leading to the back behind him open.

"Ace, are you okay?" Sabo's voice sounded.

Ace jumped and ran to the door. "I'm fine. It's all under control," he hissed, trying to close the door that Sabo was trying to push open. He didn't need Sabo to meddle when he was trying to hit on this gorgeous man.

"Are you sure?" Sabo asked worriedly. "Isn't it the biker?"

"He's not a biker!" Ace hissed. "Just keep Lu in the back, okay?"

Sabo sighed and gave up.

Ace finally managed to close the door and smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way at the customer. "I'll fetch the bouquet."

He found the bouquet meant for Newgate – that name did sound familiar somehow, but Ace had answered the phone a lot so he probably knew it from there. "Here you go."

"That looks great," the customer said with a smile. "Pops will love it."

"Oh, it's for your dad?" Ace asked, glad he had a conversation starter. If this guy walked out of here without Ace getting a name, he would die.

The man smiled softly. "Yeah. He has some health issues, but he's getting better. Actually, I think the man who owns this store is acquainted with him."

"Oh, you mean Gramps?" Ace asked. "He's away fishing for a few days, but I can send your father's regards."

He smiled again. "That would be great. Tell him Edward Newgate said hi."

"I'll give him the message," Ace said with a smile. "But you know, it's kinda weird that your dad knows my grandfather, yet we've never met. I'm Ace." He held out his hand.

"Marco."

Ace did an inner victory dance as he took Marco's extended hand, and a shiver went down his spine when their skins made contact. God, this guy was hot!

"Well, Pops will be thrilled with the flowers," Marco said as he let go of Ace's hand. "You did a great job."

"It wasn't all me," Ace said hastily. "I'm not even an actual florist. I just work here during the summer to save up some money." Being a florist was lame, right? "I'm still studying."

"Oh? Are you going to the university in town?"

Ace nodded. Marco seemed a little older than he was, probably in his late twenties.

Marco smiled. "I went there too. But it's great you're helping out your grandfather."

Ace took a deep breath. Marco was definitely into him, right? Now he just needed to ask him out and pray Ace hadn't made a fool out of himself too badly. "I-if you like, I could show you sometime how to arrange a bouquet. Or you know, something cool," he hastily added.

Marco smiled. "I'd like that."

Ace had trouble suppressing his fist pump. He was so in.

"Here's my number," Marco said as he wrote it down. "Call me." With a rather flirtatious smile, he picked up the bouquet and walked towards the door.

Ace picked up the piece of paper and kissed it while Marco's back was turned to him. However, he suddenly noticed something about said back. On Marco's jacket, there was a logo that looked awfully familiar.

_WB_.

Ace had a date with a biker.

"Holy shit!" Ace exclaimed, the paper falling from his hands, and Marco whipped around, startled. "You're one of those bikers?!"

That was why the name Newgate sounded so familiar! The biker from the previous day had ordered a bouquet in that name!

_Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit_, were the only words going through Ace's brain as Marco started walking back to the counter. Now he'd done it! He had provoked one of the bikers, and he and the store would pay the price.

Ace grabbed the small knife for the stalks and felt for the doorknob to the back behind him. Why didn't Sabo come when he needed him?!

"Are you feeling okay?" Marco asked, his head cocked slightly to the side.

"S-stay away!" Ace held out the tiny knife for flower stems. "I won't have you destroy the store! Sabo!" he yelled.

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that?"

"'Cause! You're one of those hooligan bikers! Sabo!" he yelled again, and finally, the door to the back opened.

Sabo was holding a pipe and Luffy too was looking ready to brawl as they stormed in.

Marco stared at the three of them, wide-eyed. "What…?"

"Oi, Marco, everything okay? We're all waiting for–" Another biker had entered the story, this one with brown hair that was worked into a pompadour style. "Holy shit!" he interrupted himself when he saw the brothers standing ready, holding his hands up in a defensive manner. "We don't want any trouble."

"_You_ don't want trouble?!" Ace roared. "You picked the wrong flower store to mess with!"

"What the hell did you do?" the second biker asked Marco.

"I didn't do anything. I thought he was asking me out." Marco nodded into Ace's direction.

"You asked out a biker?!" Sabo yelled at him, hitting Ace over the head with his pipe.

"Ouch! I didn't know! He doesn't look the part!"

Once more, the bell above the door chimed. "I knew we shouldn't have sent Thatch," a voice said. This time, it was yet another biker, with long black hair pinned up and his hands on his hips. When he saw the scene, he came to a stop. "What the hell is going on here? What did Thatch do now?"

"I didn't do anything," the second biker, Thatch, apparently, protested. "This time, it's Marco's doing," he added a little smugly.

Marco seemed about to retort, but changed his mind and just sighed. "Let's just go. I obviously made a mistake."

He looked kind of sad, and Ace almost felt sorry for him.

The third biker rolled his eyes and took the one called Thatch by the hand, pulling him outside. Marco cast one last look over his shoulder before leaving the store too.

It was silent for a while. Then Sabo said, "Ace? I don't think they want to smash up our shop."

"Yeah, I kinda had that feeling too," Ace said quietly. He felt guilty. Marco had done nothing to indicate that he was violent. On the contrary, he had seemed nice, and had wanted to go out with Ace.

Yet Ace had treated him like crap, just because he was part of a biker gang, which, in all honesty, had done nothing wrong either. Ace had been biased, and he needed to fix that.

"Manage the phone while I'm gone!" he called over his shoulder as he threw off his apron and ran through the door.

Outside, he looked the street both ways until he spotted the group of bikers, and he ran towards them.

"Marco?" he asked the first one he saw.

The biker shook his head and jerked his thumb to somewhere behind him.

Ace thanked him hastily and ran to the general direction until he spotted a biker holding the bouquet. His face was covered by a helmet.

"Marco!" he called and hasted towards him. "I'm really sorry! I thought you were violent because you were in a biker gang, but I shouldn't have assumed and I'm really sorry I threatened you with a flower knife! If you're still interested, I'd love to go out with you and get to know the real you."

Marco remained silent, and Ace sighed.

"Yeah, I guess I kinda blew it, huh?"

"I'd love to go out with you, but I'm already taken," a voice that was definitely not Marco said, and the biker took off his helmet. It was the third biker that had come into the store.

Ace's face fell. "You're not Marco."

The biker shrugged.

"But I am."

Ace whipped around when he heard Marco's voice behind him. "Marco! I'm really sorry!"

Marco took off his helmet and leaned against his bike, arms crossed before his chest.

Ace sighed. "I'm sorry about my brothers too, they just came to my aid. But yeah, I guess I can't really make up for it."

"You could try," Marco said suddenly.

Ace's face lit up.

Marco got a spare helmet from somewhere and handed it to him. "Ever ridden a bike before?"

Ace shook his head excitedly.

"If you have time, we could go for a ride." Marco slung his leg over the motorcycle and looked at Ace expectantly.

"Yeah, I can take my lunchbreak." Ace placed the helmet on his head and sat behind Marco, wrapping his arms around him.

Marco placed his helmet on his head as well and started the engine. Ace could practically hear the smirk in his voice when he said, "Hold on tight."


	50. ShanksxBenn Snow

Prompt: Shanks and Benn deciding to built a snowman, and then it escalated into a snowball fight with warming up afterwards, requested by Arzani92

* * *

Benn looked out of the window of their apartment and sighed. The world had been covered with a thick layer of snow during the night, but now it finally seemed to have stopped snowing. The view sure was pretty, with the untouched blanket of snow covering the city, but in all honesty, Benn wasn't much of a fan of winter. He didn't like the cold and preferred to stay inside, curled up with a book on the couch.

However, he knew that today, he would be dragged outside no matter what.

"It snowed!" an excited voice came from the bedroom, and Benn shook his head with a smile. It would seem that Shanks was awake and ready to drag Benn outside.

Within a few minutes, Shanks stood before him, no longer in pyjamas, but wrapped up in a thick winter coat, a scarf, glove and a hat. Shanks' eyes were sparkling, and he didn't have to ask Benn the question burning on his lips for Benn to know what time it was. With a sigh, Benn put on his own coat.

Shanks was already practically hopping up and down at the door by the time Benn joined him. It made Benn smile. Shanks had two completely different sides about him; serious when necessary, but usually, he was playful and not afraid to release his inner child. It made Benn glad he had found Shanks.

Shanks all but dragged him outside by his hand, and as soon as they stood on the pavement, Shanks let himself fall into the snow, moving his legs and his one arm to make a snow angel. Sitting up and looking around, he frowned. "It kinda looks sad with just one wing. You make one, Benn."

It was hard to resist a request from Shanks, and Benn knew he would do it sooner or later anyway, so he lowered himself into the snow next to Shanks to make another angel. Seeing Shanks smile like that made it worth the cold.

Shanks helped Benn up and nodded approvingly when he looked at Benn's angel. "That's much better. How about we make a snowman?" His eyes sparkled, and Benn found himself agreeing before realising it.

Benn couldn't remember playing in the snow since he was a kid, but he had to admit he was having fun despite the cold. He helped Shanks roll balls of snow and placing them on top of each other. He was just putting the finishing touches to the snowman, when he felt something cold hit him. Turning around, he saw Shanks grinning at him, throwing up a snowball in his hand. Narrowing his eyes, Benn bent down to scoop up some snow, but before he could form a ball, Shanks hit him again, laughing loudly as he fled fearing for Benn's revenge. Benn chased him, grabbing the back of his collar and putting the snowball down his shirt. Shanks let out a yelp, turning around and tackling Benn so they both fell into the snow.

Benn flipped them over so Shanks was the one lying on his back, leaning down to kiss him. Shanks let him, but just when Benn tilted his head to deepen the kiss, Shanks took his revenge and shoved snow down Benn's pants. He pushed Benn off him and fled once more. He hid behind the snowman until Benn had caught up with him.

Benn had long forgotten he was cold, or that he hated winter. He didn't hate it as long as he had Shanks. Both their cheeks were bright red from the cold and the effort of chasing each other. It was already starting to get dark when Benn realised they hadn't even thought about eating all day.

Shanks smiled when he suggested they would head inside and took Benn's hand in his gloved one. Inside, Benn immediately moved to the kitchen to make something to eat. They had some leftover soup, which he warmed up, and he placed a baguette in the oven. While those were heating up, he made chocolate milk for the both of them, adding a generous shot of rum to both mugs.

In the living room, Shanks was sitting on his knees in front of the fireplace, trying to get a fire going. He was clad in only pants, the rest of his clothes discarded on the floor. Benn placed the mugs on the coffee table and retreated to the bedroom to fetch his robe. His clothes were drenched, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Shanks was sipping from the chocolate milk when Benn entered again, the fire in the hearth crackling cheerfully. Benn sat down next to him, wrapping his arms around Shanks when he settled himself against Benn.

"Thank you," he said softly as he played with Shanks' hair. "I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed winter when I was a kid. The cold isn't that bad."

Shanks placed his mug on the coffee table and turned around to Benn, a mischievous grin on his face. "It's not if you warm up properly after."

As Benn let himself be pushed against the floor, he found himself hoping that the snow would still be there tomorrow.


	51. ShanksxBenn Sea change

Prompt: ShanksBenn, sea change, requested by Arzani92

Based on the French Revolution

* * *

His hands tied behind his back, Benn held his head high as he was ushered to the execution platform, despite the booing of the crowd when they saw him. The guillotine was standing ready, shimmering in the sunlight. If anything, Benn thought, this was a nice last day. At least it didn't rain.

He had stopped walking to look at the sky once more, but was impatiently pushed forward with the back of the bayonet of the soldier walking behind him. The new regime wasn't fond of the old aristocrats, even if Benn had always fought for the rights of the people. He chuckled darkly when he realised that he could have enjoyed his life over the backs of the people, like his pears had done, and it wouldn't have made a difference. He would have been executed as well; perhaps the only difference would have been he would be dead by now, instead of walking towards it.

Once he was standing on the platform, he turned towards the crowd that had gathered to witness his death. The people yelled insults and obscenities at him, but Benn tuned them out. Since the revolution had started, he had been yelled at and spat at more times than he cared to count. He had been captured and thrown in jail, along with the rats and scum.

At least he could die knowing _he _was safe. Shanks had escaped somehow, keeping a low profile, and, hopefully, had made it across the border now. Benn closed his eyes as he was pushed down on his knees in front of the guillotine. Shanks was the person who least deserved to die in such a manner. The guillotine was so effective that the revolutionaries had decided just to kill anyone of the aristocracy, which was how Benn ended up here. They didn't care he had tried to make their lives better, that Shanks had done the same. They were the symbol of the old regime, so they had to die.

Benn was offered a blindfold, but he shook his head. His death would be swiftly anyway, so he'd rather enjoyed the look of the blue sky as long as he could.

Taking a deep breath, he placed his head underneath the guillotine.

A flash of red appeared in the corner of eye, and Benn pulled his head back before the soldier behind him could chain him in. _He wouldn't…_

A figure appeared on the platform, knocking down the first soldier before he could act. A shadow covered the figure's features, but his red hair was unmistakable. Benn couldn't help but smile. He had really hoped Shanks had long since escaped, but he should have known he would attempt a silly rescue mission like this.

Two more men joined on the platform, and Benn was happy to recognise Yasopp and Roo.

The soldier behind him tried to push Benn's head underneath the guillotine, trying to finish what they started, but Shanks pulled a revolver before he could, cutting the rope holding the enormous blade up with one shot. It fell down with a clang, and Benn winced at the thought that his head could have been under there. Feeling a trembling bayonet pocking in his back, Benn had to smile. Those revolutionaries weren't so tough when they plans were foiled. He rose to his feet, kicking the bayonet out of the soldier's hand. The soldier looked at him with fear in his eyes, despite the fact that Benn's hands were still tied behind his back, and Benn realised how young he looked. The revolutionaries had probably forced him to do this. Benn couldn't hurt him, not when he looked so frightened like that.

Yasopp and Roo made quick work of the remaining soldiers, but the crowd had recovered from the shock and tried to climb on to the stage as well. They wouldn't let any aristocrats escape, and their bloodlust was nowhere near quenched.

"Retreat!" Shanks yelled over the noise, and Benn was quick to follow the others when they made a run for it. Horses were standing ready, and Benn didn't complain when he was placed none too gently on the back of one by Roo. There was no time to undo his chains, so he would ride with someone. Shanks mounted behind Benn and dug his heels in the flanks of the horse. The animal immediately started to run. Yasopp and Roo followed on their own mounts close behind them.

Benn closed his eyes as he leaned back against Shanks and enjoyed the smell of him. He should have been dead by now, but of course Shanks wouldn't allow something like that. He didn't care if Benn had made his peace with his fate. Shanks was selfish like that. And Benn was glad he was. Never holding him again didn't seem like an option anymore.

"You didn't think I would leave you there, did you?" Shanks asked as if reading Benn's mind.

Benn smiled as he leaned back against him. "I'd hoped you would be in safety by now. But no, I didn't actually think you would."

Shanks remained silent for a while as they rode on, leaving the city far behind them. "You know," he finally said softly, "I've always said it was time for a sea change in this country. But this isn't what I meant."

Benn looked up, and saw the pain and hurt in Shanks' eyes for a moment. He wished he could hold him now, but that would have to wait. "This is not your doing. The blood is on their hands, not yours. We'll come back and then we'll help rebuild this country, without any bloodshed. And we can, if we stick together."

Shanks smiled and spurred on his horse. "Yeah, together we can make a change."


	52. NewgatexGarp Don't leave

Prompt: NewgatexGarp, "Don't leave", requested by Picmurasaki

* * *

Garp stiffened as soon as the castle King Edward resided in came into view. It was not like he was scared, as he stood under direct protection of Emperor Sengoku, so Edward would have to be a fool to harm him. Besides, Garp had a legion of knights with him. But even if he didn't had such an insurance, Garp couldn't imagine Edward to lure him into a trap. He just wasn't the type for that.

However, that wasn't what was bothering him. Garp had made many of these diplomatic journeys, insuring all kings, counts and dukes were loyal to the emperor. However, there were two kings who had become too powerful to be left alone anymore: King Roger and King Edward. King Roger's wife, Queen Rouge, was pregnant, and that predicted trouble. King Edward, fortunately, had no official heir, no matter how much he liked to claim that his knights and ladies were his children. None of them could lay claim on the throne, and since Edward wasn't prone to marry, the emperor wouldn't have to worry about a legitimate heir.

However, the reason for Garp's visit was that there were rumours that Edward and Roger had made an alliance. Garp sincerely hoped those were false, because if those two would join forces, they would be powerful enough to overcome the emperor – not that Garp would ever admit to that. His visit now was to investigate if anything about those rumours were true, and if they were, nip it in the bud. How, Garp wasn't sure how he would do that, but he would see about that when he got there.

In any case, why he hated so much that he was the one sent on this mission because there was something about Edward that put him on edge. Nothing that he said directly of course, Edward was a master in diplomacy. But at the last party they had both gone to – the wedding of King Roger and Queen Rouge – Garp could have sworn Edward had been flirting with him. The thought alone was ridiculous of course, but also somewhat flattering.

The drawbridge of the castle was lowered once their presence had been announced, and Garp and his men were led inside. They could freshen up a bit before speaking to the king, but Garp was impatient. Of course he had to grant his men some time to rest, as they had a long ride behind them, but that didn't mean he could sit still himself, pacing up and down.

A young knight by the name of Coby asked him if he was okay, but Garp just snapped at him he should always stay on guard. The poor kid immediately rose and stood watch while the others took it easy.

Finally, a maidservant announced the king would receive them now. Garp followed her stiffly, as did his knights.

In his throne room, King Edward was seated on a beautifully decorated throne, surrounded by his most thrusted knights.

"Garp, duke of Foosha, has arrived," a herald announced, before leaving the throne room bowing.

Garp stepped inside the room, looking around suspiciously. None of Edward's knights looked like they were about to attack, but Garp wasn't ready to let his guard down just yet. Next to the throne, Marco was standing, Edward's trusted seneschal. His eyes were as sharp as ever, like those of a hawk, as if he thought Garp might be the one laying the trap.

Edward smiled friendly at him, his enormous head resting on his enormous hand – there were rumours King Edward descended from giants. "Welcome, Duke of Foosha." His voice boomed through the hall. "What a pleasant surprise."

Garp narrowed his eyes, but it seemed like Edward was sincere. However, since he was a duke standing in front of a king, he had no choice but to bow. "My King," he said, as his knights followed his example. Somehow, some of the tension drained from the room, though Garp was sure Marco was still watching him.

"There's no need to be so formal, Garp. We're all friends here," Edward said cheerfully.

Garp rose rather stiffly. They were nothing like friends, and Edward should know that. He probably did, or he wouldn't be as powerful as he was. One should know their enemies, after all.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Edward continued, and Garp didn't miss that he placed his hand on Marco's arm for a moment, as if to say it was okay. Marco visibly relaxed.

Garp stood for a dilemma. He could spin a bullshit story of what brought him here, or he could cut to the chase and ask Edward directly. Garp was never someone to beat around the bush unless necessary, but in this case, it wasn't. Edward was many things, but not a liar. "Did you form an alliance with King Roger to dethrone Emperor Sengoku?" he finally asked.

A gasp went through the hall, though it were mostly Garp's own knight who were shocked about his bluntness. Most were new in his army and not used to much yet.

Edward looked at him for a moment, as silence filled the room. Then Edward started to laugh, his booming laughter echoing through the hall. Soon, his knights followed his example, including Marco. "Where on earth did you hear a thing like that?' Edward asked as he had finally calmed down.

"So it's not true?" Garp asked, slightly insulted by the laughter.

"Even if I wanted to, Roger is too stubborn to work together with me. Besides, he wouldn't risk war now that Rouge is pregnant. Sengoku may keep his throne, as far as I'm concerned. I have everything I need here." With a warm smile, Edward looked around the room at his knights.

Garp cleared his throat – it was getting too mushy for his taste. "Well, good. That was all I needed to know."

"If you go ask Roger the same, send him my regards," Edward said with a grin. "And my love to Rouge, of course."

Garp huffed. "I'm not your messenger boy. Anyway, I have what I need, _my king_, so I'll be taking my leave now."

Bowing once more, he turned his heels, and made to leave the throne room.

"Don't leave," Edward said warmly. "You can't possibly have journeyed this far just to leave again? Stay, and I'll have a banquet prepared for you."

Garp froze. He had been so close to leaving without Edward trying something funny. But he couldn't ignore the pleading looks on his knights' faces. After all, they had been travelling for several days to reach this castle. Roger's was ever further away. Having a proper meal and a good bed to sleep in was the least they deserved.

With a sigh, he turned around and bowed again. "As you wish, Your Highness."


	53. ZoroxSanji Too loud

Prompt: ZoSan, "too loud", requested by amaconn

Warning: implied sexual content

* * *

The whole operation had been set up carefully. The police had trailed the supposed diamond thieves for a while, until they knew for sure where their hideout was. According to an anonymous tip, the robbers would strike again tonight, which was why Zoro and Sanji on a stakeout, sitting in a hotel room that looked out on the thieves' hideout. The hideout had been bugged, so while Zoro sat in front of the window with binoculars, Sanji was fine-tuning the sound equipment until he could hear clearly what the thieves were saying.

"We're both in position," Zoro announced into a walkie-talkie to their partners, who were stationed somewhere else. "Clear view and sound." After he had gotten confirmation that his message was received, he placed the walkie-talkie next to him and focused on his mission.

From the bed, Sanji was watching him as he tried to make the sound more clearly. He didn't know why he got stuck with the Marimo of all people. Well, actually, he did know; it was because their colleagues found it absolutely hilarious to put them together on as many occasions as possible. Sanji and Zoro were both the best and the worst team ever. They never got along, but when they had a common goal, they would instantly work together. Hence their current situation.

He finally heard the voices of the thieves clearly, though they weren't talking about any kind of heist. Sighing, Sanji took a more comfortable position. This was going to be a long night.

Suddenly, a strange thumping sound came from the room next to theirs, as if something was repeatedly knocked against the wall, along with the sound of bedsprings.

Sanji took off his headphones. "What the hell is that?"

Zoro looked up, listening for a second before a smirk appeared on his face. "I think our neighbours are banging."

Sanji felt his cheeks flush. "What?"

"You know–"

"I _know _what banging is!" Sanji interrupted before he would get 'the talk' from Zoro of all people. "I'm just saying, do they have to be so loud?"

Zoro shrugged before turning back to his binoculars. "It's not like we're trying to sleep anyway."

"That's not the point! How am I supposed to hear anything?!"

"What, does it distract you?" Zoro asked teasingly. "Pervert."

"Who're you calling a pervert, moss head? And I just can't hear a thing because they're too loud!" Sanji snapped. "I'm gonna ask them to keep it down." He placed the headphones on Zoro's head. "Cover for me."

"Oi," Zoro started to protest, but Sanji was already at the door.

In the hallway, he walked over to the room where the sound was coming from and banged on the door. The creaking inside stopped, and Sanji thought he could hear some muffled voices inside. Then the door was opened by a freckled man with black hair wearing a robe. "May I help you?" he asked, sounding a little surprised at seeing Sanji.

Sanji cleared his throat. "Ah, well. You see, me and my partner have the room next to yours, and apparently, the walls are rather thin…" he trailed off, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

The man blinked for a moment, before he started laughing. "Oh, I'm sorry! Marco, do you hear that? I told you you shouldn't slam me into the headboard like that!" He opened the door a little further, and Sanji could see a blond man sitting on the bed, only covered by a sheet and looking absolutely mortified. "You see," the freckled man continued cheerfully, "it's been a while since we got together so we were both a little eager. We'll try to keep it down, though I can't make any promises." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Marco's very thorough."

Sanji could only gape at the man. He hadn't expected the conversation to go like this. This man seemed to have absolutely no shame.

"Oi, Curly-brow! I need you in here!" Zoro's voice suddenly sounded, and if possible, the smirk on the man's face grew even more.

"Oh, I get it. You try to keep it down too." He winked before closing the door.

Sanji stared at the door for a moment, trying to scramble his thoughts together. That guy couldn't possibly think that _he_ and_ Zoro_…

"Curly!" it sounded impatiently from their room.

Sanji made his way back inside and closed the door with a bang. "Way to go, Marimo. Now our neighbours think _we_'re about to…"

Zoro turned around from his position at the window. "About to do what?"

"You know… What they're doing," Sanji muttered, his ears bright red.

Zoro looked around and snorted. "Let them think what they want. You know, for a pervert, you're an awful prude when it comes to sex."

"Shut up, Moss-head! Some things are just supposed to be private." Sanji snatched his headphones back and sat down on his previous spot on the bed. His neighbour hadn't lied; Sanji couldn't hear anything coming from the other room anymore. Or perhaps he had just ruined the mood, though the freckled man had looked hardly shy about his activities. His partner on the other hand…

Sanji shook his head. He didn't want to think about that anymore. Still, he couldn't help but eye Zoro, whose muscular back was turned to him. Would he and Zoro ever…?

"Oi, Curly-brow," Zoro suddenly said, startling Sanji from his thoughts.

"What?" Sanji snapped. "I'm trying to listen to robbers here."

Zoro snorted. "Sheesh, never mind then."

They stayed silent for a moment, but Sanji had to admit he was curious about what Zoro had to say. "Alright, Marimo, they're not talking about the heist anyway. What did you want?"

Zoro hummed from his position by the window. "I was just thinking… Have you ever wondered if the reason we fight so often is _because_ we don't do what they're doing?" He gestured to the wall connecting them with the other room.

Sanji gaped at him, the headphones hanging around his neck. "You're not implying…"

"That we should have sex? Maybe." Zoro shrugged like it was the most normal suggestion in the world.

Sanji just kept staring at him, unable to form words. Had Zoro been reading his mind? He was so shocked, that he hadn't even noticed Zoro had put down his binoculars and moved to the bed.

"So what do you say, Curly-brow?" He had the audacity to smirk.

Somehow, that was enough to make Sanji snap out of it. "Like hell I'd ever have sex with you!" he spat. "You know why we fight all the time? Because you're an idiot and a stubborn Moss-head!" His cheeks flushed – from anger, mind you – he was panting after his rant.

"Is that so?" Zoro all but growled. His voice was somehow deeper than usual, making the hairs in the back of Sanji's neck stand up straight.

"Y-yeah!" he brought out, not as confident as he would have liked.

"Or maybe because you're a love-struck fool," Zoro replied.

"Neanderthal!"

"Love-Cook!"

The next insult was muffled when suddenly their lips were pressed together, and Sanji's back hit the mattress. Sanji fisted his hand in Zoro's short, ridiculously coloured strands, keeping him close. His headphones had fallen next to him on the bed.

Suddenly, though, a crackling voice sounded: "…Time for the heist."

Sanji shot up, almost headbutting Zoro in the face. "The robbers!"

Zoro scrambled to his binoculars, grabbing the walkie-talkie. "They're on their way! Move out!"

They cast each other one last look, both looking like a mess with their shirts half open and red, swollen lips, before they sprung into action. As he ran after Zoro, Sanji couldn't help but feel sorry for the robbers. Now that he and Zoro had been interrupted, their pent up sexual frustration was through the roof. The poor diamond thieves didn't stand a chance.


	54. FrankyxRobin Drive through

Prompt: Frobin, "Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?, requested by Vergina-spva

* * *

"Welcome to Iceburger, home of the most SUPER burgers," a voice crackled through the intercom. "May I take your order?"

Robin leaned with her elbow on the car door, through the open window. She didn't often needed fast food like this, but today had been one of the worst days in a while. Not that long of a time, mind you, because Robin hated her boss with a burning passion, and Spandam did many things to make her life hell. Such as today.

Scarfing down a hamburger usually did the trick to make her feel somewhat better, though.

"Hello?" the voice sounded through the intercom once more, and Robin realised she had been lost in thoughts. "You can hear me, right?"

"Yes, yes," she said hastily. "One double cheeseburger, a large portion of fries and a chocolate milkshake."

"I hear you loud and clear," the employee replied, much to her surprise. "I mean, you can pick up your order and pay at the window."

Robin sighed and gently let in the clutch as she drove to the window. It was opened swiftly by an enormous man with blue hair, who didn't look like he actually fit through there.

"Your SUPER order will be ready in a bit. That'll be seven ninety five please," the man said.

With a sigh, Robin handed him her card.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't think we take credit cards," he said and gave it back.

"Well, that's just great," she snapped, digging through her bag to find some change. It came out more harshly than she intended, but it seemed that her day had caught up with her.

"Someone is having a bad day," the employee said cheerfully.

"You're not making it better," she replied haughtily.

The man crossed his arms before his huge chest, a slight pout on his face. "You're not making mine that great either."

She looked up, money slipping from her fingers. "You're right. Just because I am having a bad day doesn't mean I should take it out on you. I apologise."

The man's grin returned. "That's okay. So, what happened?" he asked as he took the money from her and gave her the change.

Robin glanced in her mirror, but there was no one behind her. It could be therapeutic to talk about one's problems to strangers, she had read somewhere, so she decided to give it a try. "I got passed over for a promotion for someone less qualified. Again," she added bitterly.

The man whistled, sympathising. "That sucks."

She sighed, leaning with her head on her hand. "Well, to be honest, I'm more competent than my boss. Perhaps he's afraid I will take his place soon."

"Still. Sounds like a SUPER bastard too me," the man replied.

"Well, I suppose it still would be unfortunate if he had his head stuck between the elevator doors," Robin said musing.

The man raised his eyebrow, before he was handed a paper bag by a co-worker, which he in turn handed to Robin. "Your order."

"Thank you. Have a nice day," she said and made ready to leave.

"Ever thought about quitting?"

Her foot stopped halfway to the accelerator. "Excuse me?"

The man shrugged. "Quitting your job. You're obviously not happy there, so it's not the place where you should be."

Robin's lips curled upward. She had never thought about that. She had always thought she needed a steady income, but if staying where she was made her miserable, was it worth it?

"Whoa, have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?" the man said with a grin.

"I did," she replied, still smiling. "You are very smart. Perhaps I'll stop by again for more advice."

The man leaned with his head on his hand on the windowsill. "I'd like that, but I don't work here."

"You don't?" she asked, slightly surprised.

"Well, not really. I'm a mechanic, you see. The intercom'd broken down, so I was just testing it out when you arrived. I figured I'd finish your order."

She let out a chuckle. "Well, you're obviously very good at your job. Perhaps I could have your card in case I ever need a mechanic?"

A little stunned, he handed her his business card. _Franky Mechanics_, it read.

The card between index and middle finger, she smiled at him. "Well, Mr Mechanic, I'll let you know what I decide. Have a super day!" With that, she sped off, leaving him flabbergasted behind.


	55. ShanksxBenn Pining

Requested by osakaawa

* * *

"I should get going," Shanks said and downed his beer. "Will you be okay?" he added slightly worriedly, as he had done for the past two months.

"I will be fine," Benn assured him, as always. It had been two months since his wife had left him, and in that time, Shanks had been his rock. Benn had lost his house in the divorce and had been sleeping on Shanks' couch ever since. They had been friends long before Benn's life had fallen apart, even before Benn had gotten married. But in these past two months, they had become closer than ever, and Benn started to wonder if the divorce really was the worst thing that had happened to him. "I'll see you at home?" Shanks' home, technically, but it didn't feel like he was really a guest anymore.

"Maybe, but I'll be back late," Shanks replied. "Don't wait up, you have that lecture in the morning."

"Yeah, I should get going too." Benn emptied his glass and put some money on the bar to pay for their drinks. "I'll walk out with you."

Shanks slapped him amicably on the shoulder and let his arm rest there as they left the bar.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Benn heard the key turn in the lock, and with a smile, he opened his eyes. Being silent wasn't Shanks' strong suit, no matter how much he tried, and Benn wasn't even surprised when Shanks managed to trip over a chair with a lot of noise. Benn turned on the light.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Shanks said as he scrambled to his feet and dusted off his clothes.

"That's alright. I couldn't sleep anyway." Benn rubbed his temples.

Shanks sat down on the edge of the couch that had been Benn's bed for the past two months. "Nervous for your lecture?"

"Not the lecture. Just…"

"Just that _she_'ll be there?" Shanks finished his sentence.

Benn laughed humourlessly. "Yeah. It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't living happily in our house with the man she cheated on me with. Or if I had someone to brag about."

Shanks wrapped his arm around him, pulling him close. "I know it hurts, but she was a fool to ever let you go. I'm serious," he continued when Benn let out a snort. "I know you're in a bad place right now, but the past two months…" He trailed off, standing up as he laughed nervously. "I can't finish that sentence without sounding like a jerk." He combed with his hand through his hair.

Benn smiled. "I know what you mean. Thank you. I don't think I could have gone through this without you."

Shanks turned around and smiled. He reached out, almost if he wanted to cup Benn's cheek, but then ruffled his hair. "What are friends for?"

"What indeed," Benn said, trying to ignore the twinge he felt.

* * *

The past two months had been both the best and the worst of Shanks' life. The worst for two reasons: one, his best friend was going through hell, and two, he had his own feelings to deal with. Of course he couldn't let Benn stand in the rain when he needed a place to stay, and he had meant it when he said Benn could stay as long as he liked. He loved having Benn around, for obvious reasons. And one hopefully not so obvious one. Which brought him to the second reason, he was in love with his best friend. Benn had no idea about his feelings, as far as Shanks knew anyway, and Shanks wasn't inclined to tell him about them any time soon, if at all.

On the other side, Benn and he had never been as close as they were now. They spent more time together than before, now that Benn didn't have to divide his attention anymore between Shanks and his wife. Which sounded mean of course, but even if Benn lost the life he had, he seemed to take it all rather well. In fact, Shanks hadn't seen him smile this often before. Their talk the other night had made clear that Benn was over his wife. He had long ago stopped trying to patch things up. Shanks had always been opposed to him trying to reconcile. Not for his own feelings, mind you, but the woman had cheated on Benn and was now living with her lover. Benn deserved better than that. He deserved to be happy.

He sighed again as he stared at his beer.

From the other side of the table, Mihawk glanced at him. "If I'd known you'd be melancholic…"

"What? You wouldn't have agreed to have a drink with me?" Shanks finished, slightly pouting.

Mihawk took a sip from his wine. "Actually, it's preferable over your usual behaviour. But I'll indulge you, just for tonight. What's on your mind?"

Before Shanks could reply, the door of the bar opened and Benn stepped inside, looking around searching. His eyes soon found their table, but instead of waving, Shanks panicked and planted a kiss on Mihawk's lips. Only after that, he pretended to notice Benn and waved at him.

"I'm sure you realise what I'll have to do with you if you ever pull a stunt like that again," Mihawk said lowly as Benn made his way over to them.

"I know. Please play along?" Shanks begged. He wasn't sure what he was trying to achieve, or actually, he was, but why he thought it would work was beyond him. Still, he started this now, he might as well see it through, so he wrapped his arm around Mihawk. "Hi!' he greeted Benn cheerfully. "Care to join us?"

Benn eyed him for a moment, before looking at Mihawk. "Hawk-eyes."

"Beckman," Mihawk replied in the same tone, before turning back to his wine.

Benn cleared his throat and looked Shanks. "I didn't know you two…" He made a vague gesture with his hand.

"Hm? Oh, yes, we're very much in love." Shanks pressed a kiss on Mihawk's cheek, praying that Mihawk would wait with cutting off one of Shanks' body parts until Benn was gone.

Benn smile, though it looked a little forced. "Congratulations then. I don't want to intrude, so I'll go."

"I'll see you at home?" Shanks called after him. Benn just waved, without looking back. Shanks groaned and let his head fall on the table. "You can kill me now. Just make it quick."

"I should, but since you bought the drinks, I'll give you a chance to explain yourself." Mihawk took another sip.

"I bought? Okay, I bought," Shanks hastily said when he saw Mihawk's raised eyebrow. "And I'll buy the next too."

Mihawk just hummed.

Shanks sighed. "I just… Well, I _hoped_ I might could make him a little jealous if he thought I was dating someone."

"And you thought I was a suitable party?"

"You're the only one here," Shanks all but whined. "Look, I sleep around, he knows that, but… He knows you and I are friends, but he doesn't know you that well, so…"

Mihawk stared at him for a moment, letting him squirm under his gaze. Finally, he put down his glass. "Why don't you just confess to him?"

"I can't! He's only been divorced for two months, and he was married to a woman!"

"You don't care about gender," Mihawk pointed out.

"Well, no, but some people do! I don't know, he never talks about things like that. Besides, he's my best friend. He should be able to trust me."

"And he can't?" Mihawk inquired.

"Of course he can, but… Why did I think _you_ of all people would understand?" Shanks buried his face in his arms.

Mihawk sighed. "If you tell him, either of two things can happen. One, he reciprocates your feelings. Two, he doesn't."

Shanks looked up, a deadpanned look on his face. "Thank you, Dr Love. I've gotten that far myself."

"You claim he is your best friend, no? You say he should be able to trust you. So why can't you trust him to accept you, even if he doesn't feel the same? It might be awkward at first, but if you care as much for each other as you claim, he will make the effort to stay your friend." Mihawk finished his glass. "You shouldn't lie to him by pretending to date me. Which, might I remind you, will cost you dearly if you keep up this charade."

Shanks looked up as Mihawk's words sunk in slowly. "You're right. You're so smart." He slapped Mihawk jovially on the shoulder. "I'm gonna tell him. And if things work out, I owe you more than one drink."

Mihawk raised his eyebrow as he beckoned the waiter. "You do so already."

* * *

Shanks felt oddly giddy when he opened his front door. Flirting with strangers was no problem, he even flirted with friends from time to time, but this was different. Not only because Benn was his best friend, but also because Shanks wanted more than to sleep with him, though he definitely wanted that too.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door of the living room, and stopped in his tracks when he saw Benn was packing his bag. "What are you doing?"

Benn looked over his shoulder. "Oh, you're back." He continued folding. "I just realised I overstayed my welcome. After all, if you're in love with someone, you should be able to take them home without worrying someone will be in the way."

"I told you you could stay as long as you liked," Shanks protested.

"Everyone says that." Benn put a stack of t-shirts in his bag. "It's called being polite."

Shanks raised his eyebrows. "Since when do you know me to be polite?"

Benn stopped his movements for a moment and looked at Shanks, before shaking his head and continuing. "Still, I should have started looking for my own place a long time ago. It was just nice, having someone in the house, but I should get used to being alone. I'm sorry I interrupted your date, by the way."

Shanks sunk in a chair and sighed. The moment of truth. "It wasn't a date."

Benn turned around again. "It wasn't? You seemed to imply…"

"I know, I know." Shanks stood up again and started pacing up and down. "I'm not in love with him either."

"Then why did you say that?"

Shanks stopped pacing and smiled sheepishly at Benn. "Because I hoped it would make you jealous."

Benn just stared at him.

"It was a long shot anyway." Shanks sat down on the couch. "But I'm in love with you. Have been for quite a while, actually. What you do with that information is up to you, but I hope we can stay friends–"

He had barely finished his sentence when Benn pressed his lips against his. Surprised, Shanks blinked when Benn pulled back. "Oh," was the only thing he could manage.

Benn sat down next to him. "You did a good job," he said. "I was jealous. These past months have been great, and I realised…" He smiled. "I love you too."

Shanks stared at him. "Oh," he repeated, dumbfounded.

Benn smiled, draping his arm over the back of the couch, behind Shanks. "Lately, I started to realise that I was… relieved when my marriage ended. I mean, it still sucks what she did to me, but… If she hadn't we'd probably dragged it out a few years longer before I realised I was unhappy. And you know when I am happy?"

Slowly, the surprise started to wear off, and the trademark grin appeared on Shanks' face. "I'm starting to get an idea."

"Well, I did need some motivation to sleep on your crappy couch for two months," Benn said with a smile as he played with Shanks' hair.

If possible, Shanks' smirk grew even wider, and he leaned in, placing a hand on Benn's chest. "You know," he said, waggling his eyebrows, "if you play your cards right, you'll never have to sleep on this couch again."


	56. MarcoxAce Waiter

"Thanks again for taking me to lunch," Thatch said as he took the menu handed to him by their waiter.

"Well, you're helping me move, so this is the least I owe you," Marco replied.

"Have you been here before?"

Marco looked at the list of dishes. "No, but I come by it a lot and it looks nice."

"So you've no idea how the food is," Thatch concluded.

"I'm sure it's not as great as at your bistro."

Thatch nodded satisfied.

Marco finally decided on a dish and placed his menu on the table. Thatch still seemed to have trouble choosing, so Marco opted for looking around the restaurant. It was small but cosy, and almost all tables were taken. If the food was as great as the atmosphere was, Marco would definitely come here more often.

Suddenly, his eye fell on a waiter on the other side of the room, and his eyes widened.

Thatch noticed his sudden change of pose and looked up. "What?"

"Don't look, but I think I flirted with that waiter there once," Marco said softly as he nodded in the direction where the man was standing.

"Where?" Thatch turned his head.

"I said _don't_ look!" Marco hissed.

Thatch placed his menu in front of his face, like that was less suspicious. "Which one?"

"The one with black hair."

"He's cute. Why didn't you ask him out?" Thatch asked as he turned back to the table.

Marco sighed. "We met in this horrible club a few months back. I was about to ask him out when he was called away and I didn't see him again. I didn't even catch his name."

"Well, now you have another chance. Oi–!"

Marco roughly pulled down Thatch's arm he had lifted up to wave at the waiter. "Will you stop it?" he hissed. "Like I said, it was months ago. Besides, he's working. This is hardly the time to ask him out. Fuck, now he's coming over!" Marco hid behind his menu.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Thatch hissed back.

They both straightened from their hunched position when the waiter came over. He was even cuter than Marco remembered, with the freckles decorating his face. Marco swallowed.

"Have you decided?" the waiter asked cheerfully.

"We already have a waiter," Marco said, keeping his face neutral when Thatch kicked him under the table. Thatch, however, didn't have such a poker-face, earning him a curious look from their waiter.

"My colleague has just gone home sick, so I'll be taking over," the waiter said. "So what can I get ya?"

"I think Marco will have the sausage," Thatch said, immediately losing his composure as he doubled over. Marco kicked him again, but it did nothing to shut up the hiccupping Thatch.

"I'll have the club sandwich," Marco said as he handed the menu back to the waiter.

"That's a great choice. It's my favourite," the waiter said with a grin. Then he cocked his head as he stared at Marco. "You look familiar. Have you eaten here before?"

"Can't say that I have," Marco replied.

Thatch, having calmed himself, tried to kick him again, but failed as he hit his knee against the table. The waiter gave him an odd look. "I'll have the same," Thatch said with a painful grin.

Their waiter smiled again. "Coming right up!"

"Why didn't you tell him you met at that club?" Thatch asked after he had left, rubbing the painful spot on his knee.

"Because it was months ago. How pathetic would it look if I still remembered him right away?"

Thatch rolled his eyes. "No more than pretending not to know him."

Marco huffed. "Just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean you're qualified to dish out dating advice. Besides, like I said, he's working." Marco searched the room for the waiter and found him at the bar. His face fell when he saw that the waiter was talking to some blond guy. They acted quite familiar with each other.

Thatch looked over his shoulder, having probably noticed Marco's disappointment. "Come on, that doesn't necessarily mean anything," he said cheerfully. "They could be brothers or something."

Marco gave him a deadpanned look. "They look nothing alike." He sighed. "Just forget it, okay? I missed my chance."

Thatch opened his mouth to protest, but decided against it and changed the subject. He started talking about his restaurant, but Marco found it hard to pay attention. He kept looking at the waiter and the blond man. It seemed there was a third person involved in the conversation, a black haired boy who twirled around on his bar stool. _He_ could be the waiter's brother.

Suddenly, the blond guy and the black haired boy rose and made their way over to Marco and Thatch. "Hey," the blond man started, "it seems like all tables are taken. Would you mind if we join you?"

Marco eyed the two empty seats next to him and Thatch, and then glanced around the restaurant. It was true that is was quite busy, though why the blond guy had chosen to sit next to them of all places eluded Marco.

"I'm Sabo," the blond man continued, "and this is Luffy." He slapped the black haired boy on the head.

"Sure, have a seat," Thatch said, much to Marco's annoyance. "I'm Thatch, and that grumpy guy is Marco."

"Thanks. Nice to meet you guys."

"Meat! I almost forgot!" Luffy cried out.

Sabo hit him over the head. "Behave!" he hissed. "Ace will be right over. Just sit down."

"But I thought we had to– Ouch! Sabo, that hurt!"

Sabo smiled charmingly at Thatch and Marco. Slightly confused, Thatch continued their conversation.

From the corner of his eye, Marco held an eye on Sabo. Luffy seemed innocent enough, babbling about food, but Marco had trouble figuring out Sabo. He looked engrossed in his discussion with Luffy, but somehow, Marco had a feeling he kept an eye on Marco as much as Marco did on him.

Finally, the waiter came over with their orders, placing it in front of Thatch and Marco. "Have a nice meal!" He walked over to the other side of the table. "How can I help you, _sirs_?"

"Shishishi! Ace, you're talking funny– Ouch! Ace, Sabo!" Luffy pouted as he rubbed his shin.

Marco raised his eyebrow. He wondered why the waiter – Ace – was pretending he didn't know Sabo and Luffy, since they had obviously been talking at the bar.

Sabo coughed. "I'll have what he's having." He pointed at Marco's sandwich.

"And I want lots of meat!" Luffy called. "You promised I'd get lots and lots if we went to see if he liked you." He jerked his thumb in Marco's direction.

"Shut up!"

"Dammit, Luffy!" Both Ace and Sabo hit him over the head simultaneously.

Marco's mouth fell open, while Thatch clutched at his stomach in laughter. "Oh man, this is hilarious!" he managed to wheeze out. "If I'd known they were fishing, I'd have said how cute Marco thinks his waiter is!"

Ace looked at Marco, his eyes widened slightly.

Marco sighed, rubbing his temples. He was feeling slightly uncomfortable now that everyone was staring at him. "We did meet before, just not here," he finally said to Ace. "It was in some kind of obscure club a few months back."

"Yeah, I remembered that too after I had taken your order. I really had fun that night, but I never got the chance to ask you out. Since that was the fault of these idiots," Ace pointed at Sabo and Luffy, who protested loudly, "I figured the least they could do was check if you remembered me." He smiled sheepishly.

Marco smiled back. "I do remember you."

Thatch looked from one to the other, sighing deeply. "Will you just ask each other out already?! Ace, I think someone wants your attention." He pointed at a customer who was waving.

"Oh, right!" Ace turned to Marco. "I really should get back to work…"

Sabo rolled his eyes, pushing Ace in the direction of the customer. "Just go! I'll get you his phone number."

When Ace had left, he sunk back in his chair with a sigh. "Honestly, it's like he can't do anything himself."

"It's the burden we must carry for having idiot friends," Thatch agreed dramatically, holding out his glass to Sabo, who clinked his glass against his. "Ouch! Dammit, Marco!"

Marco smiled satisfied at Thatch's pout. He may be surrounded by idiots, at least he finally would have a date with Ace.


	57. RogerxRouge Marry me

Prompt: Roger/Rouge, "Marry me", requested by Arzani92

Based on an Medieval!AU I'm planning to write. Set in the same universe as chapter 52

* * *

Her head leaning on her hand, Rouge watched the landscape flash by her from the carriage. She was on her way to meet her husband-to-be, of whom she knew nothing but the fact that he was the son of Garp, duke of Foosha. Her marriage had been arranged by none other than Emperor Sengoku, so her father hadn't been in the position to refuse, and her opinion didn't count anyway.

She sighed and looked at the landscape again. Her life after marriage would consist of doing needlepoint and give birth to – preferably male – heirs. As she had no idea what the man she was about to marry was like, she also didn't know how much freedom she would get. Her father had left her relatively free; she had been allowed to read and had had a tutor, but none of her knowledge mattered if she wasn't allowed to have an opinion Or speak it, anyway. She would give anything for her marriage to be stopped.

If she had known her wish would come true in the form of robbers attacking the carriage, she would probably have formulated it more carefully.

The carriage came to a stop, and she could hear men yell outside, followed by the clashing of weapons. Her handmaiden warned her to keep her head down, but she didn't listen. She wasn't about to let the knights do all the work for her.

Outside, she picked up a sword someone had dropped and started to swing around dangerously. Of course, as a lady, she had never learned how to fight properly, but at least she did some damage.

Suddenly, a robber managed to sneak up on her and grabbed Rouge's arm none too gently. He twisted it so she was forced to drop the sword. Rouge waited until she was facing him before planting her knee in his groin so he was forced to let her go.

She saw her way to escape, when another robber tried to get to her. Rouge's knights, the people who were supposed to protect her, were all already dead or wounded. They had been lured into an ambush, she was sure of it. The robbers had to have known they were passing through this part of the forest.

Another robber grabbed her around her waist, but she managed to elbow him in the face. As soon as he let go of her to clutch at his bleeding nose, Rouge tried to reach the carriage to help her handmaiden, but suddenly, she saw her standing outside, without a scratch. She looked at Rouge disappointedly.

"If only you had done as I told you," she said, almost sounding sad. "Then you wouldn't have to die now."

Rouge's eyes widened in shock, and she didn't even struggle when she was grabbed by two robbers and forced on her knees. "You?" she asked disbelievingly. "You betrayed me?"

The woman shrugged. "You can't make an alliance with Garp by marrying his son. This was the only way to stop it." She climbed upon a horse.

"All our men are killed!" Rouge yelled. "Don't you feel any remorse?"

The woman shrugged. "It was necessary. I'm sorry, _my lady_, but I'll leave those robbers to deal with you." With those words, she galloped away.

For a second, Rouge sat frozen. She had never expected her handmaiden to betray her like that. She was against this marriage as well, but killing so many people wasn't the way. Frightened, she looked up at the robbers. She knew they wouldn't kill her right away, not before they had used her. She had to get away, but there were too many of them.

Suddenly, Rouge heard the sound of hooves approaching. Two men appeared out of the forest with swords drawn and started slaughtering the shocked robbers. Rouge managed to pry herself loose from the hold the two robbers had on her and picked up a thick branch from the ground. She started swinging it around blindly like she had done with the sword. She didn't care who she hit, as long as they couldn't come near her.

"My lady," a strange voice suddenly said, but Rouge ignored it until it repeated, louder this time, "My lady!"

She stopped swinging the branch and wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked around. The two men who had come to her rescue – or at least she hoped they had – were the only ones left standing, between the bodies scattered on the forest ground. One of the men had dismounted and cautiously came closer. He had short black hair and a moustache. His companion stayed a safe distance away.

"My lady," the man repeated, "you're safe now."

Still slightly on edge, she lowered her weapon. It didn't seem like the men were about to hurt her.

"I'm Roger," the man introduced himself and gestured to his companion, "and that's Sir Rayleigh."

Rayleigh nodded at her in greeting.

Rouge took a shaky breath and tried to tidy her hair and dress, before making a curtsy. "My name is Rouge. Sir Roger, Sir Rayleigh, I am eternally in your debt."

Roger scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't go that far. It seemed you had the situation under control. We just resolved it a bit quicker." He grinned, and Rayleigh mirrored his expression. "My castle is close by, if you wish you freshen up," Roger continued.

Rouge jerked her head up at that, her eyes wide in shock. The similar name she had written off as a coincidence, but since she knew they had been travelling through the land of King Roger, a.k.a. Roger the Rebel, it could only mean one thing. This man was him in the flesh.

Roger had only ascended the throne recently, after his father died, but he had already shown he was not a fan of the Emperor. The Emperor, who had appointed the land to Roger's father, had his hands tied because of the feudal system, and he could only wait until Roger died without an heir. Rouge had heard of another rebel king, named Edward.

She hastened herself to make another curtsey. "Your Highness."

"It looks like your reputation proceeds you," Rayleigh commented amusedly.

"You have nothing to fear from me, even if you're supporting the Emperor," Roger offered, ignoring Rayleigh's words.

Rouge turned up her nose as she let Roger help her onto his horse. "Who said I did?"

* * *

As promised, the ride to Roger's castle didn't take long. Roger had agreed he would have his men retrieve the bodies of Rouge's fallen knights, to give them a proper burial. Rouge had been given her own room and maidens to tend to her.

After she had freshened up and rested for a while, Rayleigh came to her room to ask if she would do Roger the honour to dine with him. She agreed, and Rayleigh presented her with a beautiful dress.

Roger was already waiting in the dining room when she entered and smiled when he saw her. He held out his hand, and she placed hers on top of it so he could lead her to the table. Rouge hadn't noticed how hungry she was until food was placed in front of her. Still, she remembered her manners and ate in a ladylike fashion.

"May I ask what you were doing in the forest, my lady?" Roger inquired as he took a sip from his wine.

"I was on my way to meet my future husband," she replied. "Before it turned out that my handmaiden had betrayed me to those fiends."

"You're betrothed?" He sounded almost disappointed. "To whom?"

"The son of Garp, duke of Foosha," she said. "I believe his name is Dragon."

Roger raised his eyebrow. "An interesting choice."

She cast her eyes down. "It wasn't my idea. But the Emperor insisted."

"Earlier today you implied you weren't too fond of the Emperor."

"I spoke out of line," she replied. "Seeing who my husband-to-be is, I can hardly be opposed to the Emperor."

He leaned with his head on his hand as he speared some meat on his knife. "But you are?"

"I told you, my husband–" she started to protest, but he interrupted her.

"I asked what _you_ thought."

It caught her off guard. It wasn't often she was asked for her opinion, especially not by a king. She placed her knife on the table. "I think the Emperor is too powerful. He keeps most kings in line. They are nothing more than puppets. Garp included."

He nodded, obviously pleased. "I don't know too much about Garp's son, but I have a feeling your marriage has been arranged to keep him in line as well. I doubt he'll have you. Not that he wouldn't be lucky to be even near you," he hastened himself to say, when Rouge raised her eyebrow. "I count myself the luckiest man alive just because you agreed to dine with me." He scratched the back of his head again, grinning sheepishly, and Rouge chuckled. This was not how she would have imagined someone with the epithet 'the Rebel'. He looked quite endearing.

* * *

Rouge stayed a few more days with Roger. She had sent word to her father about what had happened, but she lied and said that she was staying in a nunnery to recover, so her father wouldn't think anything improper was going on.

There wasn't, not really. Rouge accompanied Roger during walks and went out hunting with him, but either Rayleigh or Rouge's maidens were present at all times. That didn't mean Rouge didn't notice there was something growing between her and Roger. She already known that she didn't want to marry Dragon, but it was on the third day that she made her decision.

She, Roger and Rayleigh were sitting in Roger's quarters that night, close to the heart. It was cold outside, and the wind howled.

"My lord," she suddenly said, and Roger looked up. She had soon enough noticed that she could speak whenever she pleased, and Roger was even interested in her opinion of things. "My lord," she repeated, suddenly nervous, "how far are you willing to go to frustrate the Emperor?"

He looked at her intrigued. "What did you have in mind?"

"Marry me," she blurted out.

Both Rayleigh and Roger spit out their wine. "You want to marry me to thwart the Emperor?" the latter asked.

Her lips curled into a smile. "I wish to marry you. Thwarting the Emperor is just a bonus."

Roger grinned and looked at Rayleigh, with whom he always sought advice. Rayleigh smirked as well. "It is hardly the conventional way…" he said.

Roger burst into laughter and rose from his chair to walk over to Rouge. He took her hand and kissed it. "Well," he said, "I've never been conventional. Let's have a wedding!"


	58. ASL Vigilantes

Prompt: "I wish you would write a fic where Ace Sabo and Luffy are vigilantes and end up saving a dragon or some other mythological creature from a awful fate.", requested by anonymous

* * *

"Are you ready?" Ace whispered to his two brothers who were sitting kneeled behind him. Both of them nodded, both of their faces covered by scarves so they couldn't be recognised. Only their eyes were visible, unless Luffy's scarf slid down, which happened a lot, and Sabo or Ace had to put it properly on again, because Luffy forgot.

This definitely wasn't their first rescue mission, but it would prove to be their most challenging one yet. Ace and his brothers made it their life's mission to save mythological creatures from captivity. Trade in those creatures was very popular, and worse of all, it wasn't illegal. So many beautiful and rare animals had died in captivity because of neglect or abuse. Dragons and other creatures were usually caught when they were still in their eggs or when they had just hatched, stolen from their mothers, but most didn't live long enough to grow up. They would become a handful when they grew anyway, so their wings and talons were usually clipped.

Ace, Sabo and Luffy had saved so many of them by now, but it was never enough. If they had lived in captivity for too long, the animals couldn't just be set free, but that was where the brothers' connections came in. Luffy had many friends who shared his love for these creatures and gladly helped to nurse them back to health. Sabo was part of an organisation that helped transport the animals back to their homes or to reserves where they could live as freely as possible, but still received care.

This mission, however, was slightly different, for several reasons. For one, they weren't about to break in to just some posh person's house. No, they were planning to break in to the castle of king Sengoku himself. A plan that could go, horribly, horribly wrong. Secondly, even if they managed to reach the place the creature was held, Ace had no idea how they would sneak out a full grown phoenix. He had never seen one of them before as they were incredibly rare, so the prospect was exciting, but Ace had heard the birds were permanently on fire, so that could pose a problem. They had come prepared with fireproof blankets and the like, but they also didn't want to douse the flames, so they had to be careful.

If Luffy shared his worries – which he probably didn't – he didn't show it as he was almost literally vibrating with excitement. He even wondered out loud how phoenix would taste, though Ace was fairly sure he didn't have to worry about Luffy eating the mythological bird. Fairly.

It was a good thing Sabo was there too to help keep Luffy in check. He had pulled Luffy against him and clasped a hand over his mouth as Ace peeked out of their hiding place. Sneaking into a castle wouldn't be an easy feat, as it was heavily guarded all around. Still, according to their source, there was one spot that wasn't watched, where they could climb in. It wouldn't be pretty, as they would have to climb up the shoot leading to the toilet, but they would be able to get in. Their source – of whom Ace didn't know the name or identity – was someone working inside the castle. He wondered who would help him, but it didn't matter. The only important thing was that the phoenix would be freed.

"The coast is clear," Ace whispered from his spot, as the guard on their round had just turned the corner. Luffy started to cheer, but quickly shut up when Sabo shushed him.

The three brothers silently rose to their feet and ran towards the moat. They would have to swim the not very clean looking water first, though Ace knew that would feel like a relaxing bath in comparison to what came after. Luffy wasn't a strong swimmer, so he held on to Sabo's back as he swam across the moat, closely followed by Ace. They swam underwater, using a hollowed out reed to breath.

When they had reached the other side, Ace surfaced to look around for guards. One just came around the corner, as rounds were made every ten minutes, and Ace hid beneath the surface again. Counting the seconds that passed, he surfaced again, only to find the coast clear. He signalled Sabo and Luffy, and the three of them climbed out of the water.

Ace prayed the toilet wouldn't be used while they entered the castle, which is wasn't, but they hardly managed to sneak in clean. Much to their surprise though, they arrived in what appeared to be a closet, including a toilet, until Sabo reminded him that moths didn't like the smell of excrement – and Ace couldn't blame them.

There was also a bowl of water standing ready, with soap next to it, and Ace couldn't help but think that was placed there by their source. They quickly washed themselves and put on clean clothes they found in the closet. Once they had all covered up their face with a scarf, Ace peered into the hallway. The coast was clear, but he didn't trust it quite yet. Ace held up his hand to make Sabo and Luffy stop. He pointed with two fingers to his eyes, then at Sabo and then with two fingers to the hall.

Sabo nodded understandingly, but Luffy asked, "Huh?"

Ace sighed. "You keep watch while I go out to scout the hall."

"Oh," Luffy said, finally understanding.

Shaking his head, Ace snuck out of the room. The hallway seemed to be completely abandoned. He trusted Sabo and Luffy to warn him when someone approached, so he focused on what lied ahead.

They had no idea where the phoenix was being held, only that it would be displayed in the throne room in an hour. They had to have rescued it before that, or they would have to fight every guard available. It meant they had to hurry. The castle was enormous, and there were many places to hide a bird.

Ace peeked around the corner, choking back a gasp when he looked into the beautiful face of a woman. She was dressed in an expensive looking dress, and her piercing blue eyes seemed to penetrate his soul.

While Ace was gathering his wits, the woman smiled. "You made it, I'm glad. I was starting to think you were already executed and your heads put up on spikes." The calm way she said it made shivers go down Ace's spine. "Please follow me."

Ace was debating whether or not to trust her, but Luffy had already ran past Sabo out of the closet and was following her up some stairs. Ace shrugged and followed as well, hearing Sabo sigh deeply behind him. Oh well, Luffy had good instincts when it came to trusting people. This woman could be their source for all he knew.

They followed the woman through several hallways, but they encountered no one.

"Everyone is preparing for the dukes and lords who come to see the phoenix," the woman explained. "With the outside so heavily guarded, the king thinks no one can enter the castle without permission. Since it took you so long, I figured you had drowned in the moat."

"Are you our source?" Sabo asked, ignoring her disturbing remark.

She smiled. "That, or I am leading you to your deaths. Perhaps both." She came to a halt and gestured them to stop. "This is as far as I can take you. Behind the guarded room is the phoenix. Be careful not to be impaled on a sword." With that, she disappeared without making a sound.

Ace and Sabo exchanged a look, but Luffy was waving and calling thanks after her. Hastily, Ace covered his mouth.

Sabo looked around the corner. "There are four strong looking guards." He looked at Luffy. "Do you think you can handle that?"

Luffy nodded, no doubt grinning, though it was hard to tell with the scarf around his nose and mouth. Ace let go of him and watched with a smile as Luffy attacked the guards with a war cry.

Sabo and Ace waited until the sound of fighting had died down and Luffy called for them. Sabo searched the guards, but when none of them appeared to have a key, he shrugged and started to pick the lock, while Ace kept guard and Luffy picked his nose.

"I'm bored now," he whined.

Ace shushed him and hit him over the head.

Finally, Sabo opened the door and they entered the room. The space wasn't too big, and most of it was occupied by a cage. Inside of it was the most beautiful bird Ace had ever seen. As legends told it, instead of feathers, it looked like the phoenix was on fire, but rather than red, the flames were a soft blue. It lifted up its head as they entered the room, but didn't more otherwise. The animal didn't look hurt, but it did have a muzzle around its beak and what appeared to be a belt around its body and wings.

"Those bastards," Sabo hissed angrily.

Ace took a step towards the cage. "Don't worry, we'll get you out," he said as he pulled his scarf down. Either his words or his face seemed to reassure the phoenix. Phoenixes were supposed to be highly intelligent, so Ace didn't doubt the bird understood his words.

Sabo immediately started to pick the lock on the cage, while Luffy kept guard.

Ace's heart was beating fast now that their mission was almost at an end. Almost, because they still had to find a way out of the castle, with the phoenix. Ace wasn't sure they'd find the way back without their guide to the closet/toilet, and besides, he didn't want to demean such a wonderful creature by shoving it down a hole in a plank where people did their business. Ace kneeled down and stuck his finger through the bars of the cage. The phoenix came closer and gently pressed its head against Ace's hand. Ace held ready to pull his hand back at any time, but strangely enough, the flames didn't hurt him. They felt rather warm and soothing. Ace smiled.

Maybe they could smash a window and set the bird free like that? They still had to save themselves, but at least they wouldn't have to worry about the bird.

"Guards!' Luffy suddenly called, and both Ace and Sabo looked up alarmed. Sabo started to work on the lock faster, but it was a complicated one, so it took time. Ace and Luffy jumped into fighting stance.

The guards, probably sent to pick up the phoenix, were alarmed by their unconscious colleagues and charged immediately. The room would be too small to fight in, but since Ace and Luffy were inside, they had the upper hand at first. They just needed to fight them off until Sabo had the cage open.

Ace hit one guard after another, but a sword had wounded him in his side. Luffy was fortunately still going strong.

Finally, Ace heard a squeaking sound of hinges that needed oiling and over his shoulder he saw Sabo opening the cage. "The window!" he called, and Sabo nodded in understanding.

He cut the belt around the phoenix' wings and cut it through. Even though it was still muzzled, it immediately charged at the soldiers, who shrunk in fear.

Sabo grabbed his pipe from his back and used it to smash the window. He shouted for the phoenix to flee, and fortunately, it listened as it soared to its freedom.

Sighing in relief, Ace attacked with renewed strength now that Sabo had joined in the fight, but he knew it couldn't last. They were trapped in this small room with the only exit blocked, and they were driven backwards. From the corner of his eyes, Ace eyed the window. They were at least three stories up, but what choice did they have? Maybe they would land in the moat. At least they had a chance of surviving.

"Retreat!" he called and ran towards the window.

Sabo grabbed Luffy by his collar to drag him away from the fight and followed his example. At the sill, Ace exchanged a grim look with Sabo, before the three of them jumped.

Wind whizzed past him, and Ace wondered if this would be the end of him. Even if they landed in the moat, Ace was still wounded and the water was hardly clean. Still, even if that happened, at least Sabo and Luffy would be okay, he thought with a smile as he closed his eyes.

The splash – or splat – however, never came. With a thud, Ace landed on top of Sabo, sure, but they weren't even close to the ground yet. Wide-eyed, Ace discovered that the phoenix had come back for them – though he did look a little bigger than before. The three brothers held on to the bird's neck, the flames licking at them soothingly. Luffy cheered and called to go faster, though Sabo looked slightly green around his nose.

The phoenix kept on flying until it landed far from the castle in a forest. Ace rolled off his back, but his wound was really starting to hurt by now. How much blood would he have lost. Still, the phoenix was their priority. "The muzzle," he muttered, but he couldn't find the energy to get up. He barely registered Luffy kneeling down next to him and Sabo getting rid of the muzzle.

He must have passed out for a bit, because the next thing he knew, there were daft fingers touching his side. Instead of it hurting though, the pain slowly faded away. Even though he was still tired, Ace forced himself to open his eyes. Relief could be read on Sabo's and Luffy's face, but Ace's attention was drawn to a third person, someone he didn't know. Startled, he scrambled backwards.

"It's okay," Sabo said soothingly. "This is Marco. He cured your wound."

Confused, Ace looked from his side, of which the skin was completely healed, to the third man, Marco, apparently. "Thank you."

Marco smiled. "It was the least I could do after you were injured trying to rescue me."

That explanation only served to confuse Ace more, and he looked at Sabo, who shrugged.

"Marco is the phoenix we saved. I didn't know they could turn into humans, but apparently, they can."

Ace sat up. He was still slightly dizzy from the blood loss and gratefully accepted the water he was offered by Luffy. He still didn't understand what was going on, but at least their mission was completed, and they were all still alive.

"I can't begin to thank you enough for saving me," Marco said. "I was captured while I was scouting the mythological creatures fair. Of course, as rare as we phoenixes are, I could only be bought by the king. My family is trying to do something about the injustice of the trade, but it will take time. We could definitely use people like you." He smiled.

Ace looked at his brothers, who came close as they discussed the proposition in hushed voices. Marco waited patiently.

Finally, the three looked up. "Alright," Ace said. "Show us to your family, so we can see that you're telling the truth. Then we might team up." He had no reason to doubt Marco, as he was a phoenix after all, but it never hurt to be cautious.

The smile Marco shot him, however, made him pretty sure they would see a lot of each other in the future.


	59. MarcoxAce Half Elf

Prompt: "I wish you would write more of that fantasy AU where Ace is a half elf", requested by minister-of-silly-walks

Set in the universe of "Afraid This Time" and "Head of the Herd". It is set at the end of the latter story.

* * *

The past weeks had flown by for Ace, so fast that he had trouble registering everything that had happened. For years, he had travelled by himself, pretending to be human, but never trusting anyone with the truth. That all had changed when he had met Shanks and Marco, a centaur and an elf on a mission. Because of circumstances, he had decided to stay with them and soon had started to like them. Even after his secret had come out, they had wanted to stay his friends, and Marco even more than that.

Later, Ace had met Robin, Benn, Luffy and Sabo, whom all became his friends as well. Having friends, especially so many, felt so surreal that Ace couldn't quite comprehend it.

Shanks and Benn had decided to go home, as had Marco, and their journeys led down the same path. Because Ace had never known a home before, and because Marco had asked him, he had decided to come and meet Marco's family.

Even though Marco had assured him that his family would love Ace and that several of his siblings were half elves, Ace couldn't help but feel nervous the closer they got to the lands owned by Marco's father. Not only was he not sure if Marco's family would like him, despite the many friends he had made in a short time, but Ace was also Marco's boyfriend. Even if there were several half elves in the family, one dating a full-blooded elf was a different story altogether. Wasn't it?

Shanks and Benn accompanied them, as they were promised a party. Marco and Ace could even use them as mounts, so the travel went faster, though it went way too fast for Ace's taste. However, he could see how excited Marco was to go back home. He hadn't seen his family in a long time, so Ace couldn't blame him. He decided to hide his anxiety and smiled at Marco when he pointed out where their lands began.

Something – or rather, someone, Ace noted – came flying up to them and landed in front of them.

Marco's face lit up, and he jumped off Benn's back. "Hello, Haruta," he said.

Haruta, a fairy, judging by the butterfly wings on his back, all but flew into his arms. "Took you long enough," he said, sniffling.

"I'm sorry," Marco said softly. "I needed to fulfil my promise first. But I have now, and I brought someone." With a smile, he turned to Ace, who tried to his behind Shanks' human back. "Don't be shy."

Reluctantly, Ace jumped off Shanks' horseback and shuffled towards Marco, repressing the instinct to pull down his woolly cap over his slightly pointed ears. It didn't help that Haruta studied him intensely.

Finally, Haruta seemed to have reached a conclusion and grinned. "Welcome!" he exclaimed. "I'll go tell Pops you've arrived." He took off, his wings spread.

"Make sure to tell there'll be a party!" Shanks called after him. "Or we've come here for nothing."

Marco snorted. "I thought you were here for the pleasure of our company."

"Please, after almost a year, I've had enough of your company," Shanks replied, but his tone was good-naturedly.

As they continued their bickering, Benn gestured to Ace to climb on his back, and together they followed Haruta.

* * *

Things had actually gone a lot better than expected. Ace had met almost everyone by now, though remembering all the names would prove to be a challenge. All species he could think of were represented here, from half-giants to fauns and from fairies to mermaids. The major part of the family consisted of half elves, however, and they welcomed Ace with open arms.

Marco was making it no secret how he felt about Ace, holding his hand or placing an arm around his shoulders, and no one seemed offended by it. They merely teased Marco good-naturedly. It relaxed Ace visibly, and he started to come out of his shell.

His test wasn't over, however, as he still had to be introduced to Marco's father, an actual giant from what he had heard. Marco's family had tried to scare him by tell him Whitebeard, as what he was known as, liked to crush the bones of his enemies, but Marco had reassured him that Whitebeard did no such thing.

Once Ace had met everyone expect Pops, a dwarf called Atmos informed Marco that Whitebeard was awake from his nap, and Ace couldn't help but feel nervous again. After all, he still had to impress his boyfriend's father, a situation he had never thought he'd be in.

Marco seemed to notice his anxiety and squeezed his hand reassuringly. Shanks and Benn had left them a while ago to catch up with the family.

Reluctantly, Ace let himself be dragged to the place where Whitebeard apparently held up. Outside the giant cave, Marco pulled him close and kissed his lips.

"He'll love you," he said earnestly, and his confidence reassured Ace a little. He followed Marco inside.

Whitebeard was sitting on an enormous throne carved from stone. When he saw Marco, he held out his hand and smiled warmly. "Welcome back, son."

Ace could see an almost childlike grin grow on Marco's face as he left Ace's side to greet his father. Marco climbed limberly on the throne and hugged Whitebeard. Ace couldn't help but smile at the affection, even if he felt slightly ignored.

When Whitebeard let go of Marco, he looked at Ace. "And who's this?" he asked, his loud voice echoing through the cave.

"This is Ace." Marco sounded almost proud, and a fond smile appeared on his lips.

Now that suddenly all the attention was on him again, Ace became nervous again and he looked at his toes.

"Look at me, son."

Despite the warmth with which the words were said, Ace froze in place, his breath quickening. Never before had anyone called him that. His father, whom he despised, had died before he was born and his mother while giving birth to him. He had spent most of his life running from everyone, and he had never known affection. Slowly, he cast his eyes up at Whitebeard, who smiled at him.

Marco leaped off the throne and moved to stand next to Ace, intertwining their fingers as he stood proudly before his father.

Whitebeard's smirk grew, before he burst out in laughter. "Gurahaha! I knew a journey would be good for you. My boy," he turned to Ace, "you're welcome to stay as long as you like. And by the looks of you two, that'll be for a long time!"

* * *

Exhausted, Ace let himself fall on what had been appointed as his bed. He felt pleasantly buzzed. On their way to Marco's family, Shanks hadn't shut up about the awesome parties they threw, and it turned out that he had been right. The party, both a welcoming party for Ace and a goodbye party for Shanks and Benn, had been wild, but great. Ace couldn't remember when he had laughed so much in one evening, when so many people laughed with him.

It was strange how easily Marco's family accepted him as one of their own. In just a couple of hours, he had gone from total stranger to their brother. And Ace had never felt so loved.

Soft footsteps approached and someone drew away the curtain that separated Ace's sleeping quarters from the others.

"I just wanted to see if you needed anything else," Marco whispered. He kneeled down next to Ace's bed and caressed his hair.

Ace smiled. "Well, there is one thing I could use." He wrapped his arms around Marco's neck and pulled him into a kiss.


	60. ThatchxIzo Mob boss & vet

Prompt: Thatch/Izo, mob boss Izo meets veterinaria Thatch, requested by MyLadyDay

* * *

Everyone in the waiting room became silent when he entered, his eyes cold as he scanned them. His bodyguards were standing behind him, though Izo knew that people would cower before him even if they hadn't accompanied him. Everyone knew the face of the most feared Mafia boss in the city.

The Yorkshire terrier on his arm trembled slightly, and he had trouble not to whisper soft words in its ear. He had an image to maintain after all.

"Mr Snuggles?" the receptionist called, and Izo cleared his throat in embarrassment. There went his image. Whatever, even with a Yorkie called Mr Snuggles, no one dared to make fun of him.

His nose in the air, he walked towards the door the receptionist pointed out to him, his dog on his arm. In the room, a man was standing, the veterinarian, no doubt, his back turned to Izo. With a snapping sound, he put on his gloves. "Well, let's see what we have here," he said while turning around.

His eyes widened at seeing Izo, and for a second Izo thought the vet had recognised him. But then the man started to talk.

"Who is this gorgeous creature?" He held out his hands.

"His name is Mr Snuggles," Izo said as he handed over his dog, pretending he wasn't embarrassed.

"A fitting name," the vet agreed. "I'm Thatch, and I'll be your vet for today" he introduced himself to the dog. "Well, what's wrong with you, little guy?"

Despite the fact that he was talking to the dog, Izo decided to answer. "He is limping."

"Well, let's see what's causing that, shall we, Mr Snuggles?" Thatch had his head on eyelevel with the dog and made a face when he was licked, but then started laughing.

Izo wondered if this guy was serious. He was the most ridiculous vet Izo had ever met. But when he saw Thatch handling his dog, he started to be glad he was the vet. Thatch was gentle with Mr Snuggles as he checked his paws, murmuring soothing words as he worked. "Aha!" he suddenly exclaimed and turned around to look for something.

"Why? What is it?" Izo asked worriedly, but Thatch flashed him a grin that made his heart skip a beat.

"Don't worry, it's just a splinter." He retrieved special magnifying glasses that made his eyes look huge – and quite ridiculous – and a pair of tweezers. As he had promised, he pulled out the splinter within seconds. He then sterilised the wound and put a bandage around the leg to prevent dirt from coming in the wound. "There we go. You're a very brave dog. And very pretty. But well, I guess it's true what they say about dogs looking like their owners." He shot Izo another grin.

Izo was stunned. Did Thatch even know who was in front of him? He could make and break a man with a flick of his wrist! But somehow, he knew that even if Thatch knew that, he wouldn't care. A smile tugged at his lips. This was a new, but interesting development.

"Thank you," he said as Thatch handed him back Mr Snuggles, his touch lingering for a second longer than necessary.

"Anytime," Thatch said with a grin. Then he scratched the back of his head. "I er… could come check on him in a couple of days. To see how he is doing."

Izo had to smile. Somehow, he didn't think Thatch made house calls often, but he was definitely going to take him up on the offer. He handed Thatch his card. "Agreed. You're the first vet Mr Snuggles hasn't bitten. I, on the other hand, can't make that same promise." Smiling at Thatch's stunned face, he turned around to leave the room. Somehow, he had the feeling he would see a lot more of Thatch in the future, and it wouldn't have to do with Mr Snuggles' health.


	61. MarcoxAce Wrong Number AU

**Prompt: wrong number AU, "Ace sends a picture to a stranger's number on accident (Marco ofc) and he sends a dick pic with the caption 'my bananabread' because he attached the wrong pic", requested by MyLadyDay**

* * *

Marco's phone buzzed, and he looked up from his book, annoyed. It was late. His brothers were all asleep by now, so they wouldn't call him. Or rather, text him, as was proved by the fact that the buzzing had stopped already. Unless Thatch was drunk again and needed to be picked up from somewhere. Marco was usually the victim of these actions, because his brothers knew he didn't sleep much and was usually awake at the godforsaken hours of the night.

Sighing, he placed his book aside and reached for his phone on his nightstand. When he activated it, however, he saw that the text had come from a number he didn't know. That didn't necessarily say much, because Thatch could have easily borrowed someone's phone. Sighing again, Marco opened the text. And almost dropped his phone.

Of one thing he was certain. Thatch had _not_ sent that text. Even he had never been drunk enough to send Marco a dick pic. Or hopefully to anyone.

However, that was exactly what he was currently looking at. A picture of someone's dick, and he had no idea whose. The capitation underneath didn't help, as it only read '_My banana bread_'. Marco had heard that some guys nicknamed their dicks, but banana bread seemed somewhat odd.

He was about to delete the text and forget he'd ever gotten it, when another one came in. '_Can you see the dates?_' it read.

Marco's jaw dropped a little. What was with this guy and food euphemisms? Did he realise who he was texting to? Because Marco hadn't handed out his number recently, nor had he talked to people online. Was this a prank from his brothers? Izo certainly seemed to think he needed to get laid, but this really wasn't the way to make that happen.

He was just considering telling the guy, whoever it was, off, when a third text arrived, soon followed by a fourth. '_Omg_,' read the first. '_Sabo, don't look! I sent the wrong picture!_'

Marco's eyebrows rose. Obviously, the guy thought he had texted someone else, which indicated that this wasn't a prank from his brothers.

A new photo arrived, this time showing something that Marco would imagine with a banana bread. Before tonight, in any case.

'_That's my bread. Please tell me you didn't gouge out your eyes with a rusty spoon! I'm so sorry!_'

Obviously, this Sabo person was not used to see the stranger's dick. Marco was relieved that the banana bread and dates hadn't been euphemisms for the guy's genitals after all. Still, he wondered if the guy would be relieved or even more upset when he found out he had been texting the wrong person. The stranger was obviously waiting for a reply to be sure that Sabo wasn't upset with him, so ignoring him would be cruel.

'_Sabo's eyes should be fine, considering he hasn't seen what I've seen_,' Marco typed. He placed his phone next to him, but he had to admit he was somewhat excited to see the response. He couldn't be sure that the guy – if it even was one, it could be someone else's dick – wasn't a douche who send pictures of his dick to strangers – why would you even have such a picture? – so his response now would tell a lot about him.

He looked at his phone, but it hadn't buzzed yet. Despite his better judgement, he checked to see if he had any messages. He didn't. Sighing, he placed his phone next to him. Maybe the stranger was too humiliated to reply. Or maybe he was relieved he hadn't texted Sabo after all. In any case, Marco should forget about the whole thing. He picked up his book again, but he couldn't focus on the text. Every once in a while, he caught himself glancing at the phone. Eventually, he decided it wasn't any use, as he kept reading the same paragraph over and over, so he should try to get some sleep.

Just as he was about to turn out the light, however, his phone buzzed.

'_Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I can't believe I accidentally sent my dick to a stranger! I'm really sorry, I have a new phone and I thought I knew my brother's number by heart..._' The text was followed by another. '_Obviously, I didn't. I was really proud of my banana bread so I wanted to show it. I don't call my dick that. I'm Ace, by the way._'

'_Marco_,' Marco wrote back. '_You know, you wouldn't make those mistakes if you didn't have a dick pic_.'

'_Don't tell me you don't have one._'

Marco's lips curled into a smile. Despite the fact that he only knew what this guy's dick looked like, he seemed to have a sense of humour, and, more importantly, self-mockery. '_What would I do with that?_'

'_Send it to me?_'

Marco raised his eyebrow at the text. Was Ace flirting with him? Or was he still joking? '_You want to see my dick?_' he wrote, for the lack of a better response.

'_A dick for a dick? I believe it's a proverb_.'

Marco snorted. '_Call me old fashioned, but you'll have to earn it to see my dick_.'

'_Are you asking me out? Brave man, without knowing what I look like._'

'_I've seen your dick_,' Marco wrote, but immediately delete it again. Instead, he wrote, '_I'll see you on our date. If you agree, of course_.' Marco had no idea what he was doing, but he had gone too far to go back now. He wasn't about to back down. '_At least I know you can cook_.'

'_Don't count on it. My bread was burned. Not as bad as usual, which is why I sent Sabo the pic. But haven't you heard? Us kids take selfies all the time._' The text was followed by a picture of a young man with black hair and a freckled face. He was really cute, and suddenly Marco felt strangely self-conscious. After all, he was a bit older than Ace. What if he was disappointed when Marco sent a picture? Still, it would be better to know now if Ace didn't like what he saw than if they were on a date.

He took a few pictures of himself until he found one that was acceptable and in which it wasn't too obvious he was wearing pyjamas. He sent it and waited for a reply. Meanwhile, he cast a look at his alarm clock. It was half past four. He should probably try to get some sleep soon, if he wanted to function in the morning. On the other hand, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep without getting a reply, though there was no guarantee he would even get one.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, his phone buzzed again. '_How's next Saturday? Where do you live?_'

Marco sighed in relief. Ace was still interested. As he started typing his address, he found that even if he had never expected it, he was happy he had received a dick pic.


	62. KillerxPenguin Proposal

**A Killer/Penguin drabble for Penuinfreak, because they gave me the idea.**

**Some penguins, like the Gentoo penguin, present pebbles to their partner during courtship.**

* * *

"And then I punched him square in the face," Kid concluded his story proudly. When Killer didn't respond, he turned around. "Are you even listing?"

"Sure, sure, you punched the guy," Killer said dismissively, never taking his eyes off the ground. He seemed to be searching for something, but all Kid saw were pebbles.

"You guessed," he said accusingly.

"I guessed right, didn't I?" Killer replied. "Not that that was hard, since it's the conclusion to most of your stories. Aha!" Suddenly, he dove down and picked up a pebble. However, after studying it, his shoulders slumped and he threw at away again, hitting Kid in the shoulder in the process.

"Oi, watch it!" Kid grouched.

"Or you'll punch me in the face?" Killer said absentmindedly.

Kid grumbled something under his breath, but he had to admit that Killer was probably the only person who was a match for him and may even be able to beat the crap out of him, so it was better to play it safe. "Just watch it. What the hell are you doing anyway?"

"Picking a pebble." Killer dove down again, but once more, the pebble didn't seem to please him.

"Looking for a pebble? We're on a pebble beach!" Kid exclaimed, gesturing around.

"Exactly. All the more chance to find the perfect one." Killer finally looked up. "Just help me out here. I never ask questions when you want something."

Sighing in defeat, Kid did as he was asked and started looking for a pretty pebble, all the while wondering if Killer had lost his mind. After a few hours, they had made a selection of three pebbles. Killer was just making up his mind when a crunching sound could be heard. Penguin, Killer's boyfriend approached them smiling.

Killer hastily grabbed one of the pebbles in Kid's hand, before slapping the back of his hand so that he threw the stones away whether he liked it or not. Kid was about to protest that it had taken all afternoon to find those pebbles, but Killer gave him a warning look as he let the chosen pebble slide into his pocket.

"Here I am," Penguin said. "You said four, right?" he added frowning when Killer made no attempt to say anything.

"I did."

Something was strange. If Kid didn't know any better, he would think that Killer was… nervous. Kid had never seen him like that.

Killer cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "So… I asked you here for a reason. We've been dating for a while now and… I think it's time for this." He reached into his pocket and sunk onto one knee while opening his hand in front of Penguin, revealing the pebble.

Kid's jaw dropped so hard he was surprised it didn't hit the ground. He still didn't get it, but it was obvious what Killer was asking.

Penguin stared at Killer as well, before he smiled and reached into his pocket, revealing a pebble as well. "I think we had the same idea."


	63. MarcoxAce Redline

**Prompt: "I wish you would write a MarcoAce fic based on the anime movie Redline"**

**For those who don't know the movie, it's about an interplanetary race called Redline.**

* * *

Winning the Yellowline race to qualify himself for the Redline was one thing, but Ace knew that the hardest part was still to come. Years he had dreamed of being qualified for the most popular race in the galaxy, in which only the best were allowed to participate. The current champion for years in a row was a giant alien called Whitebeard, and it was Ace's goal to win from him.

Sabo, one of his mechanics, was still mad at him, as he had used the booster one time to many during the Yellowline to win, which caused his car to be pretty much in shambles. Still, Sabo was one of the best mechanics in the galaxy, so Ace wasn't worried that his car would be ready in time for the big race.

Currently, they were on a planet of which Ace had forgotten the name already, so Sabo and Luffy could fix Ace's ride. Ace himself knew nothing about cars except how to drive them, so he wasn't much use. He had been hanging out in the garage Sabo and Luffy were working in, until Sabo had accused him of only being in the way and kicked him out. Luffy had gone with him, as he had been bored with fiddling with the car, but he had been distracted by something or the other and ran off. Ace found himself alone and wandering around the planet he didn't know.

After a while, he passed a garage, its door standing open wide. Inside, a man was leaned over, looking under the hood of a car. Obviously, it was a race car, and Ace wondered briefly if he would be in the Redline as well. At the moment, however, he was more interested in the behind of the man fiddling with the car.

As he was staring, the man turned around, wiping his greasy hands on an equally greasy rag. He was a human, wasn't rare per se, but good to know, with blond hair and the most beautiful blue eyes Ace had ever seen. He seemed surprised to see Ace. "Hi."

"Hi," Ace replied. "Nice ride," he continued, as 'nice ass' would probably be a little too forward.

"Thank you." There was a proud smile on the man's face as he looked at the car.

"She fast?" Ace asked in an attempt to keep the conversation going.

The smile on the man's face grew to a smirk. "She should be, if we're going to win the Redline."

Ace's lips curved into a grin. "Really? I'm in it too."

"I thought you looked familiar. It's Ace, right?" The man walked up to him and held out his hand as Ace nodded. "I'm Marco."

Ace had to admit he had hardly paid attention to the competition, as he was only in it to beat Whitebeard. To be honest, he hadn't even checked if Whitebeard was participating this year, but the champion couldn't suddenly stop, right?

"Nice to meet you," he said instead. "Is it your first time?" Marco looked a little familiar, but Ace couldn't place him as one of the racers. Maybe he had been a mechanic before who now replaced a former racer.

"It is."

"Mine too," Ace said excitedly. "I've dreamt all my life to be in it, and now I am. I can't wait to beat Whitebeard this year."

"Haven't you heard?" Marco leaned under the hood of the car again. "Whitebeard isn't participating this year. He's retired."

"What?" Ace exclaimed his voice sounding higher than he would have liked. "That's… That's not fair! I'm supposed to beat him!" Defeated, he leaned against the wall of the garage, arms crossed before his chest.

Marco turned around and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be too disappointed. The Redline race is still highly competitive. Besides, Whitebeard has sent his best racer to replace him."

Ace perked up at that. "Really? Who?"

Marco grinned. "Me."

It was only then that Ace remembered where he had seen Marco before. It was at Whitebeard's side when he collected his trophy. Marco had been his mechanic, and now he was a racer himself. It was still a little disappointing that Whitebeard didn't race this year, but Ace had thought of a way to make this race a little more interesting.

"Care to make a little wager?" he asked, and when Marco cocked his head in interest, he continued, "If I win, you go out with me."

"What if I win?"

Ace grinned. "Then I'll pay."

His face mirroring Ace's, Marco grabbed Ace's outstretched hand and shook it. "Deal."


	64. ThatchxIzo Cop & Vigilante

Prompt: Thatch/Izo, police officer and vigilante, written for my rare-pair exchange with MyLadyDay

* * *

The police station was quiet at this time of night, as even the most notorious workaholics had gone home. The only people present were those unfortunate enough to have the nightshift. Thatch usually didn't stay this late, as he was often the one trying to drag Marco home, but tonight was different.

He was working on a case involving arms dealing, drugs, and other illegal trade. It was a big case, so of course he wasn't the only one working it, but he believed that the answer was right in front of their noses. Thatch was so close to cracking the case he could almost taste it. The only problem was, he was fairly certain that there was a cop involved. One couldn't go around spewing such accusations without proof, so that was what Thatch was looking for.

Unfortunately, as of yet, he hadn't found any, and as much as he relied on his gut feeling, he couldn't point a finger at anyone yet. He hadn't even shared his suspicions with Marco, as Thatch knew he would he would be reluctant to believe that one of their own was dirty, no matter how much he trusted Thatch's gut.

The paper trail Thatch was pursuing was leading him nowhere, and eventually he had to admit that he had hit a dead end. He was tired and had probably already had too much coffee anyway, so he decided to call it a day. Greeting his co-workers, Thatch pressed the door to the elevator, whistling as not to raise suspicion. Usually, he was cheerful, but not tonight. Not when his family was threatened.

Thatch lived close to the police station, so he never bothered to take the car. The chilly night air did him a world of good after being cooped up all day inside, and he decided to take a detour through the park.

A street light blinked, and Thatch slowed his pace, suddenly feeling like someone was following him. He looked over his shoulder, but there was no one to be seen. Thatch shook his head to wake himself up and continued walking. He had been working too hard. It made him see things.

A twig snapped, and Thatch whipped around, but again, there was nobody there. Starting to feel nervous, Thatch quickened his pace. The sound of footsteps could be heard, growing louder by the second, and Thatch reached for his weapon. Before he could confront his assailant, however, something hard hit his head, and he collapsed.

The world spun around him when he tried to get up again, and he took a few shaky breaths and blinked a couple of times to get rid of the black spots dancing in front of his vision. Placing his hands on the ground to push himself up, Thatch tried to scramble to his feet, but suddenly, there was something on his shoulder holding him down.

"I wouldn't do that."

The voice was familiar, and Thatch's eyes widened. He had hoped so badly that he wasn't right about there being a dirty cop amongst them, but even if there had been, he hadn't expected to go down like this.

Swallowing hard, he looked up at his assailant. Teach took a step back, a gun aiming at Thatch's head. "You shouldn't have put your nose where it didn't belong," he said. "Everything was going so well. The cops weren't even considering things happening right under their noses. But then you came along and ruined it."

Thatch remained silent, slowly putting up his hands. His heart was racing in his chest as he stared at his former friend. He had never considered Teach to be dirty. Hell, he hadn't considered anyone, not until he had proof. Teach threatening to kill him, however, counted as proof.

"I never thought you would be the one to catch wind of it. Marco, sure, Ace even. But not you. You like everyone, especially your precious family." Teach spat out the last word as if he hadn't been treated with the same love and respect as everyone else. As if he hadn't belonged to that same family. Pops, their chief, would be heartbroken when he found out Teach had betrayed them.

"If you kill me, every cop in town will be after you," Thatch said, sounding much calmer than he felt. He was still sitting on his knees. "You won't get away with this."

"Let me worry about that, why don't you," Teach said with a grin and cocked his pistol.

Thatch closed his eyes.

There was a sudden gush of wind and a yelp came from Teach. The gun he had been holding was lying on the ground, a few meters away from Thatch. Wide-eyed, Thatch stared at a figure clad in all black who was currently beating the crap out of Teach. Teach might be fat, but he was a well trained police officer, yet he wasn't able to throw even one punch.

Finally shaking himself from his awe, Thatch crawled towards the gun and picked it up, pointing it at Teach. "Get down on your knees!" he shouted, louder than necessary to calm his nerves.

The stranger stopped pummelling Teach and took a step back so he could do as he was told.

"You're under arrest for assaulting a police officer," Thatch said. "That, and illegal arms dealing, drugs and…" A sudden wave of dizziness hit him, and he staggered, but then he felt someone supporting him. It was the stranger, their face suddenly close to Thatch's.

"T-thank you," Thatch stammered as he turned his head slightly. He couldn't see the person's face, as it was covered by a mask, but his lips curled into a smile.

"You're welcome." The voice was deeper than he had expected.

Teach took the opportunity to try to attack again, but in the blink of an eye, the stranger was upon him again, kicking him hard in the head. Teach went down like a sack of potatoes.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," the stranger said when he saw Thatch's shocked face. "But it gives you time to cuff him and call for backup."

"Wait!" Thatch called when they turned to leave. "Who are you?"

"Just a concerned citizen," the stranger said with a small smile.

"Will I…" Thatch hesitated. "Will I see you again?"

"Whenever you need me," the stranger placed his hand against Thatch's cheek and caressed it, "just call me." With that, he disappeared into the night, leaving Thatch stunned behind.


	65. ThatchxIzo Flowershop AU

Prompt: ThatchIzo, Flowershop AU. Another exchange with MyLadyDay

* * *

The bell above the door chimed, and Thatch put his broom against the wall to help his customer. What he hadn't expected was this person to be the most dashing man he had ever seen. His long black hair pinned up, he strode to the counter with confident steps, and Thatch hastened himself to join him.

"How may I help you?" he asked in his most friendly voice.

"You should pay attention, because I have a very specific order," his customer spoke, anger hidden in his voice, though it was not directed at Thatch. "I need a bouquet containing," he counted on his fingers, "red geraniums, foxglove, meadowsweet, yellow carnations and orange lilies. And asphodel if you have it."

Thatch blinked as he wrote it down. Usually, his customers were more interested in how the bouquet would look than what exact flowers were used. Still, he would gladly make a bouquet out of the ordered flowers. "Sure," he said. "I don't think I have them all right now, so I'll have to order them though."

His customer sighed and leaned against the counter. "Yeah, I was afraid of that. How long will it take?"

"A few days," Thatch said, still staring at the list in his hand and wondering why these specific flowers. "If you need something right away, feel free to look around if there's anything you like."

"No, I'm sorry, but it have to be these flowers." The man tapped with his fingers on the counter.

"Why?" Thatch chanced to ask.

"Because I need to tell someone 'fuck you'. Oh, I'll need a card saying that too."

Thatch burst into laughter. "You'd go to all that trouble to tell someone off? Why not just say it to their face?"

"Where is the elegance in that?" The man smiled at him, and Thatch had to agree with him. This was a much more subtle way to tell someone you hated them, and more passive-aggressive. If someone wanted to tell him that, he would prefer to have it said with flowers.

"Alright, if you give me the address, I can have the bouquet delivered to them in about three days," Thatch said. "Would that be alright?"

The lips of his customer curled into a smile, causing Thatch's heart to skip a beat. "That should be fine."

* * *

Over the next few weeks, the man, of whom Thatch soon learned the name was Izo, came into his store a lot, always with a very specific bouquet in mind. Some were, like the first one, passive-aggressive expressions of hatred, but most contained other flowers.

Thatch had never studied the meaning of flowers, holding the opinion, like most other people, that flowers just had to be pretty, but ever since Izo started ordering flowers, Thatch found himself wanting to know what they meant. He had made bouquets made for grieving, as declarations of friendship, apologies or wishes for a speedy recovery. What he hadn't seen, however, which was any declaration of love, which gave him hope that Izo might be single. Izo seemed to say everything with flowers, so it would make sense that he would give his partner flowers as well, right?

Thatch wasn't going to admit it out loud, but Izo's visits always made his day. Thatch always looked forward to it, and not just because he could find out some new meanings behind flowers. He was starting to like Izo, but he hadn't yet found the courage to ask him out. He had looked up some flowers that would have a meaning in that direction, but Izo would immediately know what they meant and if he didn't feel the same, Thatch was afraid Izo would find another florist.

The bell above the door chimed, announcing a visitor, and Thatch was pulled from his musings. His face almost split in half because of the grin when he saw Izo enter. Izo smiled back.

"So, another 'fuck you' today?" Thatch asked cheerfully. Ever since Izo started to come by, he was much better stocked than before.

But Izo shook his head. "Not this time."

"An apology then? Or a declaration of love?" Thatch asked carefully.

Izo smiled. "Something like that. I need jonquils, white clover, tulips– Are you writing this down?"

Thatch hastily nodded and tried to ignore the feeling of his stomach turning. He had waited too long with asking Izo out and now he was too late. While he didn't know the meaning behind all the flowers Izo mentioned, he knew the tulip one, as he had been considered giving Izo one. It was a declaration of love.

"So, who's the lucky person?" he asked. Talking was difficult, as if felt like his throat was squeezed tight. He knew he had no reason to feel like this, but it still hurt a little.

Izo smiled mysteriously. "Could you make it right away? I want to hand this one over in person."

Thatch smiled wryly. "I can understand. Just a sec." Taking a deep breath, he started collecting the flowers Izo asked for and made them into a bouquet. He resisted the urge to rushed through it and managed to make a beautiful bouquet. "There," he said, handing the flowers to Izo. "Let me know how it goes."

Izo looked at the flowers and smelled them, before smiling and pressing them in Thatch's hands.

Stunned, Thatch looked at Izo. "But…" Then a smile broke through on his face. Placing the flowers gently on the counter, he turned to his flowers and searched between them until he had found a poinsettia. Proudly, he handed it over to Izo, who smiled in reply.

"I would be even more cheerful," Izo said, nodding at the poinsettia and referring to its meaning, "if you would agree to go out with me tonight." With a smile he added, "A simple yes or no will suffice this time."


	66. ThatchxIzo Spy AU

Prompt: ThatchIzo, spy AU

* * *

Standing in the doorway, Izo let his eyes slide across the room. He was supposed to meet his partner in this rundown café, but he had no idea what they looked like. There were a few people who sit the profile, sitting alone in a booth, looking completely inconspicuous and busy with their own thing.

The longer he stood there, however, the more attention he drew to himself, which was the exact opposite of what he wanted. He had to make a quick decision.

His eye fell on a guy who was looking the most suspicious of everyone present, holding the newspaper he was 'reading' up high instead of putting it on the table. Really, Izo was surprised he hadn't cut holes into it. In any case, it seemed he had found his partner – though hopefully he would be a better in spying than in surveilling.

Izo slid into his booth and eyed around to see if anyone was paying attention to him. When that didn't seem to be the case, Izo turned to his partner, who didn't seem to have noticed Izo joining him or was ignoring him.

"The carrots are done," he said as casually as possible, just in case he was talking to the wrong person after all.

The paper was lowered, and Izo was met with a slightly surprised looking man, sporting a pompadour hairstyle. Not exactly the best way to blend in, but Izo wasn't here to judge.

"Eh, I hope they aren't burned," the man replied.

Relieved, Izo recognised the other half of the code, so he knew he had found his partner. "Good," he said and moved out of the booth. "Come on, we have work to do."

The man followed him after having placed some money on the table to pay for his coffee and followed Izo out of the café, his paper under his arm.

* * *

Marco sighed and looked on his watch. His partner had to have been here already, yet no one had said the first half of the code to him yet, and he had been sitting in this rundown café for an hour already.

"Hi, are you ready to order?" a cheery voice said next to him, and when Marco looked up at his dark haired, freckled waiter, he suddenly cared a little less about his mission.

* * *

"Ah," the man suddenly said to Izo, holding out his hand, "I'm–"

"The less I know about you, the better," Izo replied. In case they got caught, it was better that they didn't have anything to reveal during an interrogation or even under torture, than if they had. "You should know that."

"But what do I call you then?" the man asked, a hint of a whine in his voice.

Izo rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'm Izo. You must be new."

"Thatch." He smiled happily as he walked along. "So where are we going?"

"Haven't you been informed?" Izo asked surprised. Considering Thatch had been at the right place at the right time, knowing the other half of the code, _someone _had to have told him _something_. Or was it Izo's task to inform him?

Thatch just shrugged.

Izo sighed and beckoned him into an alleyway, looking around to see if anyone was close by. "Look," he said, "this is a very important mission, so I can't believe they sent a new guy, buy here goes." Before he could explain the mission, though, someone walked past, and to look inconspicuous, Izo hurled Thatch forward by his shirt until their lips met. It was only supposed to last until the coast was clear, but Thatch didn't seem to get that and continued kissing Izo. Izo found himself oddly enjoying it, but eventually he pulled himself together and pushed Thatch away.

"We don't have time for that. Come on, we have work to do." He started walking again, stopping when Thatch didn't follow him.

"Ehm, yeah, what kind of work again?" he asked.

Realisation hit Izo like a bucket of cold water and his face fell. "You're not the person I was supposed to meet, are you?"

Thatch shrugged. "I was just reading the paper."

"Then why did you go with me?!" Izo exclaimed. He was feeling frustrated, but most of all he was feeling stupid for picking the wrong person. He was a seasoned spy, for crying out loud! How could he have made such a rookie mistake?

Thatch shrugged again. "You were pretty and told me to come with you." He smiled sheepishly, and Izo resisted the urge to smack his hand against his forehead.

"For crying out loud!" he muttered. "I have to get back to find my actual partner. Never go with strangers, dammit!" He was about to disappear, when he changed his mind and pressed a note with his phone number in Thatch's hand. "Call me."


	67. FrankyxRobin Window cleaner

Written for the Sharethelovemonth

Based on a true story

* * *

Clad in nothing more than baggy sweatpants and a sweater a few sizes too large, Robin placed her ankle on her opposite knee while sitting on her bed so she could cut her toenails. Today was her day off, so for once, she didn't have to wear a pantsuit and high heels. The baggy clothes were a welcome change.

Just as she switched feet to cut the rest of her nails, a ladder was placed against her window and a man climbed up to it. Too surprised to move, Robin held her leg in an impossible position as she watched the man, who was whistling a tune, put a sponge in a bucket on his arm and start to clean the window. He looked inside and winked at her.

Placing her foot slowly back on the bed, Robin watched the window cleaner with suspicion. He seemed focused on his work now, whistling along with the song no doubt coming from his earphones.

Robin really wished her landlord would have given her a heads up about a window cleaner coming today, so she wouldn't have been cutting her toenails in front of the window. She could have been changing, for crying out loud.

With a huff, Robin went to her study. Despite this being her day off, she still had to finish a presentation for tomorrow and she preferred not to be looked at inside her own house.

However, she hadn't been working five minutes before the same ladder that had been in front of her bedroom was now placed against the window of her study and the same blue hairdo appeared. The window cleaner was still whistling and even struck a pose while standing on the ladder, which made Robin hope he wouldn't fall and break his neck.

As her laptop was facing the window, Robin tried not to pay attention to him and focus on her presentation. The whistling, however, distracted her, and she opened the window he wasn't currently cleaning.

"Do you mind?" she asked curtly. "I'm trying to work."

"As am I," the man replied cheerfully. "It's not going any faster with the window open."

She considered his response. "Fair enough."

However, when she was about to close the window to let him continue, he said, "I'm done with the other windows, so you can continue cutting your toenails."

"If my landlord had warned be beforehand that a window cleaner would stop by, I would have chosen a different moment to do so," she replied coolly. "Although it seems impolite to me to look into my home."

The window cleaner shrugged. "I've rarely seen a window so dirty that I couldn't look though it anymore. I don't watch, but I can't help what I see."

"What if I'd been changing?" Robin asked challengingly.

"Then it would have been hard to look away."

Robin rolled her eyes and made another attempt to close the window, but once again the window cleaner started to talk.

"So what are you working on?"

"A presentation about a dig I've been on. I'm an archaeologist," she explained.

"I see." The window cleaner scratched the back of his neck. "Are you nervous?"

"Not particularly."

"Oh, well, I just thought…" The man seemed to be nervous himself. "Maybe you want to practice on an audience. I mean, I'm having lunch before I start on the other apartments so I wouldn't mind listing."

A little surprised, but pleasantly so, Robin had to smile. "Why not? Practice makes perfect after all."


	68. MarcoxAce Stranger in Bed (1)

_My brother is going to stay with us for tonight. Well, when I say us, I mean you, because I'm out, but he shouldn't bother you. He has a key and will just crash in my room for the night. You might not even see him. _

_Oh, and leftovers are in the fridge, I know that's the only reason you bothered to read this note._

_Thatch_

Ace's eyes were barely open as they moved across the lines, but he perked up at the last sentence. Work had been exhausting, and to be honest, Ace was happy he wouldn't have to see Thatch's brother, at least not until the morning. He just wanted to eat and go to sleep.

As he waited for the food to warm up in the microwave, he dozed off, starting awake from the beeping sound that announced food. Despite his tiredness, he was hungry as always and devoured the food with relish. Thatch's cooking was the best.

When he had eaten, sleepiness washed over him again, and with reluctance, he dragged himself to his bedroom. He didn't even bother to turn on the lights as he took off his shirt and kicked away his trousers in some random corner. He would find them again tomorrow.

With a happy sigh, he crawled under the blanket and closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep.

A warm presense behind him moved and an arm wrapped around him.

Ace's eyes shot open and with a yelp, he bolted out of bed. In his hurry, he picked up the first weapon he could find, a hammer that was still lying around from his unfinished IKEA bookcase, and scrambled towards the door to find the light switch.

In his bed, a strange man was sitting upright, probably startled awake, his blond hair tousled. His eyes were still wide in shock and he held up his hands defensively. "D-don't be afraid!" he called when seeing the hammer lifted up threateningly. "I'm Thatch's brother!"

Slowly, Ace remembered Thatch's note and he lowered the hammer. "Then why are you in _my _bed?" he asked sharply.

The man sighed and combed with his hand through his hair. Now that it turned out he wasn't a random creep that lay in people's beds, Ace had to appreciate his good looks. He was tan, and his abs were so hard you could bounce a coin off it. For a brief moment, Ace feared he might be naked, but then he saw a light blue band peeping over the edge of the blanket, proving that he was at least wearing boxers.

"I thought this was Thatch's room," the man admitted. "He wasn't very specific which one it was and I always have to put together his IKEA things, because he'll break them. I just thought it was his way of welcoming me." He gestured at the unfinished bookcase.

"Well, no, it's mine," Ace said, "but that does sound like something Thatch would do. I'm his roommate, Ace." He held out his hand.

The man smiled at him and took his hand. "I'm Marco. How about I put that bookcase together for you? It's the least I can do after giving you a heart attack."

Ace handed him the hammer and watched as Marco went to work. "You didn't seem to mind the company, though," he said musing.

Marco looked up and smiled sheepishly. "I guess I was just attracted by the warmth."

Ace snickered and sat down on the edge of the bed. Perhaps they should have wait until the morning, he thought, but to his surprise, he wasn't that tired anymore.

"There," Marco said as he tightened the last screw, sitting on his knees in front of the case, "that should do it."

"You work like a professional," Ace said with a grin. "Including the builder's bum."

Marco hastily hoisted up his boxers from behind before he rose. "Sorry about that. And about scaring you. I'll go to the right room now, but perhaps I can make you breakfast in the morning? I'm not as good as Thatch, of course, but I'm not a half bad cook."

Ace grinned at him. "That sounds great."


	69. MarcoxAce Stranger in Bed (2)

Marco was feeling slightly nervous as he knocked on the door of his brother's apartment. Technically, he had the key, that was how he had gotten into the building, but to waltz inside the apartment was a bit much. Especially since it wasn't his brother he was currently here for.

Marco had met Ace in a less than conventional way, to say the least. A week ago, he had gotten back from living abroad for a while, and Thatch lived the closest to the airport. Because he hadn't been home anyway, he had kindly offered Marco his room for the night. Only… Only he hadn't mentioned he had a roommate, and Marco had accidentally picked the wrong room to sleep in. Ace hadn't noticed him until he crawled into bed with Marco. It had been awkward at first, but then Marco had put together Ace's Ikea bookcase, and in the morning they had had breakfast together. Marco hadn't expected to like Ace so much, and, considering the way they met, he definitely hadn't expected Ace to say yes when he asked him out.

Yet he had, and now here Marco was, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, standing in front of Thatch's door. He told himself he had nothing to be worried about, but, in hindsight, he had realised it might be awkward if he and Ace didn't work out, considering Thatch was Ace's roommate as much as he was Marco's brother. Still, he decided he was being overly dramatic and knocked on the door before he could change his mind.

The door swung open, revealing Thatch, whose face went from surprised to happy. "Marco! I hadn't expected you! Are those for me?" He grabbed the flowers from Marco's hands before he could protest. "A little odd, but I'll take it."

"Well, I–" Marco started.

Thatch's eyebrows rose. "Are you trying to tell me they're not for me? Because the only reason you could be here is to visit your favourite brother, right?"

Marco wasn't sure if he was joking or not, so he said coolly, "Vista doesn't live here."

Thatch looked hurt for a moment, before huffing, "So then you must be here to return the key, right?"

"I…" Marco hesitated, unsure what to say. He had been abroad for a while and was only back for a week, so Thatch might take it the wrong way if he said he wasn't there for him.

Thatch stared him down for a moment, before he burst into laughter. "You don't think Ace told me about your encounter. It was hilarious, by the way. Anyway, I know you're here for him." He stepped aside to let Marco in.

Marco sighed, relieved, and entered the apartment.

"I'm keeping the flowers, though," Thatch said, "as payment. After all, if it wasn't for me, you kids would have never found each other."


	70. MarcoxAce Pokémon Go

Marco/Ace, Pokémon Go, requested by MyLadyDay

* * *

The hype was interesting, but those games were not for him, he'd thought. He was too old for those, he'd thought. Hatura had explained to him how it worked, and while he had to admit the concept was interesting, he had never been a pokémon fan so he'd never start playing. He'd thought.

Yet somehow, he found himself outside, late at night, because the game said a dragonair was near. He knew the device was lying to him, as it had so many times before, but he couldn't help himself. He was addicted to the game, and he wanted the pokémon so badly.

He could never tell his brothers about this, they would never let it rest. Marco was supposed to be responsible and lever headed. How had it come so far?

Berating himself mentally, Marco sighed and decided to give up. Maybe he should let the game rest for a while. He was behind on work because he had been playing so often and it started to mess with his sleep schedule as well.

He was about to exit the game, when a charizard popped up on his screen. Almost immediately, it disappeared again when Marco walked past it. Halting and taking a few steps back, Marco was relieved to see it again. He loved fire pokémon the most, so he definitely wanted to catch it. It would be the last for today, he promised himself. Maybe even this week. Yes, he would definitely stop for a while after this, so it was okay to indulge for now.

Marco took a second to take in his surroundings. He was standing next to a large house that looked abandoned. It hadn't been painted in a long time and the small front yard was covered in weeds. Marco moved his phone, but it appeared that the charizard was inside the gate.

The old hinges squeaked when he pushed the gate open, and Marco had to admit that if he didn't know any better, the house definitely looked haunted. Marco looked around, but there was no one around, not a sign that pointed to someone living here.

Gulping, Marco walked to the front door and felt at it. It swung open easily. Inside, the house wasn't as dusty as he would have expected from a place that hadn't been lived in for years, though there were some cobwebs in the corners. The charizard was definitely inside, as Marco was now facing it in the empty hallway.

Just as he was about to throw a poke ball, he felt something that appeared to be a hand on his shoulder. With a yelp he would later deny, Marco almost dropped his phone as he whipped around.

Instead of a ghost, however, he was facing a very much alive young man with freckles covering his face, who looked at him curiously.

Marco, realising he had accidentally broken in, started a sentence several times, but his brain wasn't able to make actual words. The man in front of him didn't seem mad, though, just slightly amused. Eventually, Marco gave up and just sighed. "You know Pokémon Go?" He held up his phone.

The man blinked a few times, before he started laughing. "You're after that charizard, right? Lu's been trying to catch it too."

"I thought the house was abandoned," Marco stammered.

The man cocked his head to the side. "Hm? No, we live here. Me and my brothers, I mean."

"Really? It looks kind of haunted," Marco said carefully.

The man started to laugh. "Yeah, looks kind of cool, right? Though, to be honest, we just never get round to paint. Or work in the garden. Or you know, clean. But I'm not a ghost, look!" He placed his hand firmly on Marco's shoulder and patted him a few times. "See? I'm not going through you." He sounded so proud.

"You might want to think about locking your door," Marco said, rubbing his painful shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," the man said. "Like you said, no one is stupid enough to try to rob a haunted house." He paused for a moment. "Well, maybe except fervent Pokémon Go players."


	71. MarcoxAce Snack Bar

Written for day 3 of the MarcoAce week 2016 with the theme Laugh

* * *

As he eyed the clock, Ace's eyes widened when he saw what time it was. He straightened the ridiculous paper hat he was forced to wear when he was working in the snack bar and turned around. "Sabo, how's my hair?"

"Fabulous," Sabo replied without looking at Ace, as he was just lowering fries into the deep fryer.

Ace made a displeased sound. He had to look his best. Every other Friday, like clockwork, a certain hot blond guy entered the snack bar and ordered a ridiculous amount of fries and snacks. Ace had been flirting with him like his life depended on it, and at certain times, he thought the man flirted right back. At other times, however, he just merely seemed polite.

No matter which was the case, though, Ace still hadn't caught his name, and he was determined to find out today.

"Sabo!" he snapped. When he finally had his attention, he straightened his hat again. "How do I look?"

Sabo sighed deeply. "Greasy and tired. Will you let me work now? We have customers."

Ace's shoulders slumped. He felt greasy and tired, but that didn't mean he had to _look_ the part. It didn't matter, though, as it was eight exactly and the bell above the door chimed as if practiced.

Ace plastered a pleasant smile on his face and turned around to great his hot blond man, but his face fell when he saw it was someone else. Was his guy late? He was never late. Frowning, Ace looked past his customer through the window outside, but it was dark and he couldn't see much.

"Ehm, hi!" his current customer, a man with a pompadour-like hairstyle, said.

With a sigh, Ace welcomed him monotonously and stood ready at the cash register to take his order.

"I would like fries for fifteen people and…"

As the man rattled off his order, Ace's eyes widened slightly. This was the exact same order as his blond always made! Was this guy one of the people in hot blond guy's circle?

"Wait, wait," Ace said when the man was mid-order.

He looked up from his list. "Was I going too fast?"

"No, no. Do you happen to know a hot blond guy?" Ace blurted out, only realising too late how inappropriate that was to ask a customer.

The man frowned. "Ehm, no." When Ace's face fell, the man suddenly seemed to realise something. "Oh, I suppose you could mean Marco."

Ace's face brightened. His hot blond was called Marco? Ace liked that. It suited him.

"He usually gets the fries." Suddenly, it was the man's turn to light up. "Oh, so _you_'re Marco's Ace!"

For a second, Ace wondered how Marco could have known his name, until he realised his name was always on the receipt, not to mention he was wearing a name tag. Only then it came through to him that this meant that Marco had talked about him. "I am?" he asked.

"I pretty sure you are. He talks about you non-stop. I mean, we may have dragged it out of him, but it was pretty clear something was up when he insisted to get food every time." The man laughed and held out his hand. "I'm Thatch, by the way."

Ace took his hand. "Ace, but you already know that."

Thatch laughed. "I do. I also know you've been flirting with my brother – Marco is my brother," he hastily added when he saw Ace's confused face. "He would have come today, but he twisted his ankle, so he is not supposed to walk. Anyway, I'm pretty sure he would have asked you out already if you met when you weren't working. You're welcome to join us for dinner. You know, if you aren't sick of deep-fried food yet."

Ace could never be sick of any food, and with pleading eyes, he looked at Sabo, who sighed deeply.

"Go. I can manage around here."

"Thank you! You're the best!" Ace took off his hat and ran from behind the counter, until he realised he still had to prepare Thatch's order. Sheepishly, he put his hat back on. Maybe he was a little nervous of meeting Marco outside of work for the first time.

With enough fries and snacks to feed an orphanage, Ace accompanied Thatch to his house. He couldn't stop fidgeting with his hair, and before Thatch opened the door, Ace grabbed his arm. "How's my hair?"

Thatch studied him for a while, before he said, "Black."

Ace made a frustrated sound. "Why are men so useless at this?!"

"What do you want me to say? It's not nearly as awesome as mine," Thatch said with a shrug and placed a hand on Ace's shoulder. "Relax, he already likes you."

That actually did wonders for his nerves, and excitedly, Ace all but skipped after Thatch into the house.

Marco was sitting on the couch, one foot up, which was wrapped in a compress, reading a book. When he looked up to see who had entered, his eyes widened when he saw Ace and he immediately started fixing his hair.

"Don't worry, I've already been told that I look greasy and tired, so you don't have to look your best either," Ace hastily said.

"Really? Then I can't imagine how good you would look all freshened up," Marco replied.

A grin grew on Ace's face. "You're flirting! That was flirting," he told a random stranger who was standing next to him.

"I'm so happy for you," said person replied deadpanned.

"I believe you started it," Marco replied, his expression mirroring Ace's.

"And you can continue all night, but the food's getting cold," Thatch interrupted before Ace could say anything else. "Will you just hurry up and ask him out already? I don't care which one goes first."

"I'll ask, but I first need to know what happened here." Ace gestured to Marco's bandaged foot.

Marco smiled sheepishly. "I wasn't paying attention where I was going and tripped over the kerb."

"Maybe you need someone to keep you upright then," Ace said with a smirk.

Thatch rolled his eyes. "I thought I said enough with the flirting!"

"Right. Will you go out with me? I'm Ace, by the way," Ace hastily added, realising they hadn't been formally introduced.

"Marco." Marco smiled. "And I'd love to."


	72. ThatchxIzo Christmas (1)

A Christmas ficlet for MyLadyDay!

* * *

Snow kept falling down, and Izo's windscreen wipers were working overtime to make sure he could see a little. The road he was driving on didn't have any lampposts, so it was completely dark around him, and no salt was sprinkled because hardly anyone ever drove here. Izo only took this road when he was going to visit his family, but because of the weather and the layer of snow that was already lying on the ground, he had to drive carefully.

Suddenly, he saw a car at the side of the road, emergency lights on. Someone hastily scrambled out of the car and started waving his arms when Izo approached.

Izo slowed down even more until he has stopped next to the parked car. The man who had been waving walked over to the door on the driver's side, and Izo opened his window. The man looked like he was cold, his cheeks flushed and earmuffs on his head. His hair, put up in a pompadour style, was covered in snow in the short time he was outside.

"Hi," he greeted Izo, a sheepish smile on his face, "you wouldn't happen to be a mechanic, would you?"

"I would not," Izo replied, but when the man's face fell, he hastily added, "but I do know a thing or two about cars. What seems to be the problem?"

"Well, it doesn't… start," the man said sheepishly. He obviously didn't know much about cars. "My phone doesn't have any bars, so I can't call for help either."

"I can take a look if you like," Izo offered.

The man's face brightened, but then he seemed to remember something. "But wait! It's Christmas Eve. You're probably headed to your family."

"They won't mind if I'm a little late," Izo assured him. As the man stepped back from the window, Izo parked his car in front of the other and fetched his coat as he stepped out of the car.

"Thank you for helping me out," the man said and held out his hand. "I'm Thatch."

"Izo," Izo introduced himself. "And it's not a problem. Though I can't guarantee that I can fix the problem, even if I can locate it."

"The attempt is much appreciated, " Thatch said.

Izo popped open the hood. "Not many people take this road," he said as he started to look for the problem. "I don't think it even leads to anything but my family home."

"That explains why I didn't see anyone for over an hour." Thatch sighed. "But yeah, I realised just before my car stopped that I had taken a wrong turn. Unfortunately, by then it started snowing and I couldn't go back."

"Where are you headed? Family?"

"Nah," Thatch said. "I don't have family."

Izo straightened and turned to him. "Friends then?"

"My friends are with their own families. I was heading for the main office to pick up something, but I've never been there before." There was that sheepish look again. Izo had to admit Thatch looked adorable. Still, his story was kind of sad.

"You're working on Christmas Eve?" Izo asked. "What do you do?"

"Office job. But I was the only one without plans, so I drew the short straw, I guess."

Izo turned back to the engine, not sure what to say. Though Thatch tried to sound cheerfully, his smile didn't reach his eyes. The best thing to do was probably making sure that he could be on his way again as soon as possible so he would be back home to do what he liked, instead of being used as a delivery boy.

"You're without a doubt the prettiest mechanic I've ever had."

Startled and surprised, Izo hit his head against the hood of the car and looked disbelievingly at Thatch. Thatch just grinned and handed him a soup in what appeared to be the cap of a thermos. Izo took it gratefully, though he still hardly could believe Thatch had said that. The soup was delicious, though, and it warmed him up from the inside out. He hadn't realised how cold he had gotten.

"It tastes amazing," he said to Thatch.

Thatch grinned brightly. "Thanks, I made it myself." As he started to explain how he made it, Izo drank another sip, before handing the cup to Thatch and diving back under the hood. Soon enough, he found the problem and turned to Thatch, taking back the soup.

"I know what the problem is, but I don't have the tools with me to fix it. I think my brother does, though. You can come and wait at my family's house, if you want."

Thatch's face brightened at the prospect of not being alone, which made Izo decide that he was going to make sure that Thatch stayed and spend Christmas with them. It wasn't the first time that their family was extended spontaneously. He feared that Thatch would decline as not to impose if he asked now, though, so he kept silent when Thatch stepped into the car. Soon enough, Thatch would see that anyone was welcome at the Newgate family.

The drive wasn't very long, but Izo couldn't blame Thatch for not knowing that there was a house not too far away.

"Found yourself a stray?" Kingdew greeted Izo as he entered the house carrying the pie he had made at home.

"Thatch has car trouble. Is Rakuyo here yet? I need some tools."

Kingdew nodded and pointed him to the living room. Izo introduced Thatch to everyone and soon enough, Thatch was dragged into a conversation. Izo greeted and chatted with his brothers for a bit, at least until Thatch had had a few alcoholic beverages so he couldn't drive anymore. It seemed that Thatch was having too much fun anyway, and it warmed Izo's heart. He doubted he would be missed if he snuck off to fix Thatch's car, but he would need the keys.

After locating Rakuyo, Izo tapped on Thatch's shoulder. As he turned around from his conversation with Ace, Izo held out his hand.

"Keys."

"Oh, right! My car!" Thatch exclaimed, his face falling. No doubt he thought it was time to leave.

"You've drunk too much, so you're not going anywhere," Izo said strictly and made an impatient gesture with his hand. "Rakuyo and I are going to fix your car and take it here. You can leave when you're sober again."

It was hard not to smile when Thatch looked relieved that he didn't have to leave. He dug around in his pocket and handed Izo his keys, just as Ace pressed another beer in Thatch's hand, winking at Izo as to say, "I've got this".

Smiling, Izo turned to leave. Thatch was in good hands, and his family would make sure that Thatch had a great Christmas with friends and family after all.


	73. ThatchxIzo Christmas (2)

Continuation from the previous chapter.

* * *

The light around him was too bright, even with his eyes closed, as his head pounded in protest at waking up. He may have overdone it last night with the booze.

Slowly, Thatch opened his eyes to find he was lying on an unfamiliar couch in an unfamiliar yet familiar room. There were bodies sprawled out on the floor, but loud snoring sounds assured Thatch that everyone was okay. As the fog in his mind lifted slowly, memories started coming back to him. His car cutting out, a beautiful mechanic pulling over, who then took him to his family home, where… Where Thatch had drunk way too much. That explained the headache.

His beautiful mechanic entered the room, skilfully evading the people draped all around the floor. Nothing betrayed he had been partying all night long, as opposed to how Thatch felt and no doubt looked.

"Good morning," Izo said with a smile, stepping over Ace's sleeping body. "Sleep well?"

Thatch nodded and hastily wiped the drool from his face.

Izo chuckled. "Don't worry, everyone feels like that the first time they partied with our family. It will get a bit less bad."

Despite the fact that his words meant that Thatch would feel like he was hit by a truck, like he was feeling currently, more often, Thatch couldn't help the grin from growing on his face. What he remembered from the previous night, it had been great, and Izo's words were clearly an invitation to come again.

He hadn't expected to be accepted into the family so easily, at least not until Ace had explained to him that the same thing had happened to him the year before. He also hadn't expected Izo to take his keys and fix his car, which should be near the house now.

Izo beckoned him to come along, and Thatch followed him into the kitchen. Before he knew it, he had a glass of orange juice pressed into his hand, which he drank gratefully.

As he was drinking, his eye caught a plant hanging over the door and his face brightened as he sneakily moved until he was underneath it while Izo had his back turned to pour some more orange juice.

"Look," Thatch said innocently as if he just discovered it, "mistletoe."

Izo turned, chuckling. "I know. You've used that same trick about five times last night."

Thatch's face fell, but he cheered up again when Izo leaned in to kiss him. When Izo pulled back, he smiled. "Merry Christmas, Thatch."


	74. MarcoxAce Meddling Brothers

Marco combed his hand through his hair for what had to be the umpteenth time that night as he took a deep breath to muster up the courage to press on the doorbell. Before he could, though, the door already flung open, revealing Ace in all his glory and then some. Marco instantly became weak in the knees.

"Let's go!" Ace said with a grin and grabbed Marco's wrist as he pulled him along to Marco's car. At least he seemed enthusiastic.

It had taken Marco months before he had finally asked Ace out. He had never been able to talk to Ace, so the asking out had been rather awkward and Marco had never expected in a million year for Ace to say yes. Or rather "Sure, why not?", but Marco took it as a win.

"Where are we going?" Ace asked as he strapped himself into his seatbelt.

"The Baratie," Marco replied. It was the most expensive restaurant in town and Marco would have to live on bread and water for at least a week after this, but it would be worth it if it would impress Ace. That seemed to be the case as he whistled.

A waiter brought them to their seats at the restaurant and Marco was desperately trying to think of something to say, when his eye suddenly caught a glimpse of two familiar figures at another table. He turned his head and the figures dove behind their menus, but Thatch's pompadour still stuck out above it. Marco groaned.

"Is something wrong?" Ace asked.

"No, no," Marco said hastily and pulled out Ace's chair so he could sit down.

Ace smiled. "You're a gentleman, aren't you?"

Marco smiled sheepishly and walked over to his own seat, casting a warning glance at the table where Izo and Thatch were sitting. He should have never told them when his date with Ace was or where, but he had been so excited that Ace had agreed that Izo hardly had any trouble pulling it out of him. They knew how much Marco liked Ace, which was no doubt the reason they were here now, as they also knew Marco incapability to make coherent sentences around Ace.

A silence fell at their table, and Marco was grateful when the waiter came to inquire about their drinks and to hand them the menus. From the corner of his eye, he saw something moving and he almost facepalmed when he saw that Thatch was holding up a sign that said "_So tell me about yourself_". Did they really think he was so pathetic that he, an adult, couldn't start a light conversation with another adult?

"So tell me something about yourself," he said.

Ace looked up from his menu. "Sure. What do you wanna know?"

"Er…" Desperately, he glanced over Ace's shoulder at the table where Izo and Thatch were sitting. Izo scribbled something down and held up the paper. '_Hobbies_', it read, indicating that they could hear everything Ace and Marco said.

"What do you like to do?" Marco asked. "For fun, I mean."

As Ace perked up and started to tell how he liked to go on adventures with his brothers, Thatch held up another sign, pointing at it. '_Brothers_'. Obviously, Ace loved to talk about his brothers, so Marco could have thought of asking more about that subject himself. He wondered if he would have.

Their conversation actually went naturally, and Marco had to look at his brothers less and less to come up with ways to steer the conversation. That didn't stop them from trying, though, and they almost climbed on the table pointing at their signs – two different ones of course – as they seemed to compete to what Marco should say. However, when Ace excused himself to go to the bathroom, they both hid the papers and pretended to be in engrossed in conversation. Marco facepalmed for real.

He waited until Ace had disappeared from sight, before making his way over to Thatch and Izo. "Will you knock it off now?!" he asked in a low voice. "Thank you for caring, but it's actually going well. Now leave before he finds out you're here for me."

"But we just ordered dessert," Izo said, "which you're paying for, by the way."

Marco's mouth fell open and he was about to protest, but at that moment, Ace returned. "This is not over," Marco hissed and hastened himself to his own table.

Ace looked a little confused as he too his seat again. "Were you going somewhere?" he asked.

"No, no, of course not," Marco said hastily. "But…" He eyed Thatch's and Izo's table. "What do you say we go somewhere else for dessert? I know a nice little ice cream place close by."

Ace grinned. "Sure!"

Marco beckoned the waiter and had trouble not stick out his tongue at Thatch and Izo who looked horrified at him. They looked around bewildered, no doubt to look for another waiter, but Marco had already helped Ace into his coat by the time they were presented with their dessert.

As quickly as he could without being suspicious, Marco led Ace to the ice cream store. After ordering, they made their way to the park, chatting and licking their ice cream. Marco noted, much to his surprise, not only that Ace walked a lot closer to him that strictly necessary, but more importantly, that he himself was still perfectly capable of saying intelligent things.

They sat down on a bench and Marco let Ace finish his ice cream. When Ace had devoured it, he leaned against Marco's shoulder. "You know, this was a lot more fun than I expected. Don't take this the wrong way, but since you don't talk a lot to me, I figured it might be a long evening. So I'm glad you showed another side of yourself."

Marco smiled sheepishly, but that smile disappeared when Ace leaned in to kiss him. Before spending more time with Ace, Marco was sure he would have melted. However, after tonight, he could now see Ace as a normal person instead of some handsome god.

They let go of each other and Ace crept a little closer, smiling. Marco mirrored his expression and reached out to caress hair out of Ace's face, when he saw two figures running towards them. They dove in the bushes right away, before Ace saw them, and almost immediately a sign stuck up, saying, '_Kiss him_'.

"I already did," Marco said with a sigh.

Ace looked up confusedly. "Who are you talking to?" The sign immediately disappeared back in the bushes when he started to look around.

Marco sighed again, rose, and led out his hand to Ace. "I need to show you something."

Still confused, Ace took his hand and allowed himself to be led towards the bushes. Marco pushed aside the branches, revealing Thatch and Izo, who smiled at them sheepishly.

"Ace, these are my brothers, Thatch and Izo," Marco introduced them.

Ace still looked puzzled. "But they are the cute couple from the restaurant."

"Do you hear that, Izo? We're cute," Thatch said with a grin.

"Of course we are."

Marco cleared his throat. "They knew I was nervous for this date so they followed us to help me out and keep the conversation going, because I had trouble talking to you. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you."

The silence that followed was agonising as Ace looked from him to Thatch and Izo, who were still sitting in the bushes. Then, Ace started laughing.

"That's actually really cute," he said. "I did notice that the conversation seemed to go more natural after a while, though."

"Then I got the hang of it," Marco admitted.

Ace chuckled and grabbed Marco's arm, turning to Thatch and Izo. "You should have more faith in your brother. He is _very_ charming."

"Please," Izo said with a snort, "_we'_re the charming ones."


	75. MarcoxAce Roomate's ex

The doorbell rang, and Ace paused his movie to drag himself off the couch to see who was at the doorstep, brushing off the crumbs that had fallen on his clothes while he was up.

Peeping through the spyhole in the door, though, almost caused him to have a heart attack. Of course it had to be Marco, looking sexy as fuck. To be fair, Ace may be a bit biased at that point, considering that he couldn't even see Marco that well through the peephole. Still, Marco always looked good, even when he had just come out of bed, his hair touseled and his abs pulling taut when he stretched…

Okay, so maybe Ace had a bit of a crush on his roommate's boyfriend.

Trying to fix his hair and clothes as much as possible, Ace opened the door. "Hey," he said cheerfully. It sounded fake, even to him.

"Hey," Marco greeted him back. If he had noticed anything, he didn't show it.

"Robin's not here yet." Ace leaned against the doorframe, trying to look cool and casual.

Marco sighed. "Again? We agreed to meet tonight. Why do I even bother anymore?"

No matter how much Ace liked Marco, he loved Robin more as his friend. "Come on, you know she's busy with that exhibition."

"Yeah." Marco combed with his hand through his hair, and Ace had trouble not to bit his lip. "I know, but it happens a lot lately. She could call."

"She's busy. Come on," Ace said as Marco made to leave, pulling him inside by his arm. "I'm watching a movie. You should join me until Robin gets here." Okay, maybe it was a little for him too.

Especially when Marco smiled. "I'd like that."

"I have popcorn!" Ace dashed towards the couch. He had mixed feelings about the whole situation. On the one hand, he was on cloud nine right now. Being alone with Marco was like a dream coming true. On the other hand, he was alone with Marco. He didn't think he stood a chance, despite the fact that Marco had casually remarked one time that he was bi, a small fact Ace's brain wouldn't let him forget. Still, Marco would never cheat on Robin, even if he was pissed at her for standing him up.

Besides, there was a decent chance that Ace would make an ass off himself.

Taking a few deep, calming breaths, Ace tried not to focus on the fact that Marco was sitting rather close, especially when Marco placed his arm on the back of the couch behind Ace. In an attempt to distract himself, Ace reached for the popcorn, but of course Marco had to do the same and their fingers brushed together.

Ace's brain helpfully reminded him that pulling his hand away would look suspicious, so instead, he grabbed a hand full of popcorn and shoved in his mouth, smiling at Marco in what should be a disgusting manner.

However, Marco chuckled, causing Ace's stomach to do flip flops. He was so screwed.

The air was tense, and Ace wondered if it was just him. He didn't remember it being like this before. Not that he spend a lot of time alone with Marco. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Marco maybe overheard him saying something that made his feelings clear. After all, he had been whining a lot to Sabo and Luffy. Would Marco know?

Ace discarded that thought. If that was the case, he would have declined watching a movie together, or would be sitting further away from Ace. It was all in Ace's head.

He didn't remember falling asleep, but when he opened his eyes, he noticed that he had been using Marco's chest as a pillow. Ace jumped up like a cat hit by a bucket of water.

"H-hey! Sorry, I fell asleep."

"I noticed," Marco said, amused.

"If I'd been a murderer, I could have disposed of your bodies and cleaned the crime scene by now," Robin's voice suddenly sounded.

Ace's eyes widened as he turned to where Robin was taking off her coat. How much had she seen? How much did she know?

"That's all you've got for me?" Marco asked, sounding not amused now, and rose from the couch.

"You didn't look like you missed me much."

It didn't sound accusing at all, more as a statement of a fact, but Ace could still feel his stomach turn.

"That's not the point. You could have called to tell me you were working late again," Marco said.

Ace didn't want to be there. While neither Marco nor Robin had raised their voices, it was obviously a fight. "I should go," Ace muttered and fled to his room.

* * *

The sun was shining through his curtains when Ace opened his eyes. He must have fallen asleep again.

Worried about Robin and Marco, Ace hastened himself to the living room. Robin was sitting at the dinner table, sipping from her coffee and reading the paper.

"Is Marco here?" Ace asked carefully.

"Good morning. He is not. He left last night."

There had been no yelling, no slamming with doors, or Ace would have heard it. "So… Did you guys make up?" he asked almost inaudibly.

Robin folded the paper and rose. "Sort of. But we also broke up."

Ace sunk down on a chair next to her. "I'm so sorry."

"It's quite alright. Now he's all yours."

Ace looked up, his eyes wide. Again, there was no malice in her voice, nothing accusing, In fact, there was a small smile on her lips.

"What?!" Ace finally managed to shriek, after having started several sentences. "I don't know what you're talking about!" His voice sounded strange and high, but he couldn't help it. He was an awful liar.

Robin just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I'm late for work."

* * *

Ace wondered if he made the right decision by going to see Marco, but he also needed to know how he was doing. Robin had taken the break up very well and she claimed they were still friends, but everybody said that, right? Ace just wanted to know if Marco was alright.

He had barely rung the doorbell when the door was opened. Marco looked good, _really _good. "Hey," he greeted Ace.

"Hey." Ace started to feel nervous again. "I haven't seen you in a while, so I was wondering how you were."

"I'm good."

"No, I mean, how are you _really_?" Ace pressed.

"I'm _good_. Honestly."

Marco did sound convincing, so Ace decided to believe him. "Well, okay then. Bye, I guess." As he turned to leave, though, Marco grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside.

"Come on, I missed you. Let's finish watching that movie during which you fell asleep."

Ace probably didn't put up as much resistance as he should, considering Marco was still Robin's ex. Before he knew it, he was sitting on the couch, wondering if he was imagining it, or was Marco really sitting even closer than he had last time. Carefully, he turned his head to look at Marco, who smiled at him.

Suddenly, Marco leaned in and brushed his lips against Ace's.

Ace's brain short-circuited, but his body moved on its own when he grabbed the back of Marco's head to pull him close. Only when his brain caught up with the situation, he pushed Marco away. "No!" he exclaimed.

"No?" Marco asked.

"Yes. I mean no!" Ace hastily said, but then sighed when he saw Marco's confused face. "You're Robin's ex."

"Yes?" Marco asked.

"Yeah, well, isn't it worse to be crushing on your best friend's ex than on their boyfriend?" Ace muttered. He immediately wanted to hit his head against the wall for saying that out loud.

Marco smiled, though. "Ace, Robin and I are friends. Hasn't she told you?"

"Yeah, but… Isn't that what everyone says?" Ace flung back.

"We actually are. I'm serious," Marco continued when he saw Ace's sceptical face. "She was here just a few hours ago."

"To pick up her things?"

"To hang out. Ace, she and I have been friends a long time. We just dragged out our romantic relationship too long." Marco smiled again. "I realised a little late that I've been crushing on you for a while as well."

"But what about Robin?"

"She's fine with it. We talked about it at length. She even said she had already given you a push." Marco gently brushed some hair from Ace's face. "I may be wrong here, but I got the feeling you might like me. And not just because you admitted you had a crush on me."

Slowly, a grin crept up Ace's face. "Well, if Robin's okay with it…" He didn't give Marco the chance to reply as he jumped him and started to kiss him senseless.


End file.
